HHS updates plan to combat Alzheimer's, related dementias, to reduce 'risk across the lifespan'

The Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a new plan Thursday that aims to combat Alzheimer's Disease and dementia, which includes raising awareness of the risk factors that could lead to mental decline, and improving care for those battling the conditions. 

The 2026 update to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias replaces its six previous goals with four goals that emphasize "reducing dementia risk across the lifespan" and improving disease treatment and care. 

“Millions of American families have seen the devastating toll of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. “Under President Trump, HHS is shifting the national strategy toward prevention, earlier detection, and faster development of better diagnostics and treatments. 

"We are advancing gold-standard science, reducing risk where we can, improving care, and giving patients and families stronger support at every stage of the disease," he added.

The other two new goals include improving and accelerating research into Alzheimer's and dementias to help prevent and treat it, and increasing support for caregivers who are now responsible for taking care of a loved one that is living with the conditions. 

“Through initiatives that ease the burden on caregivers and expand access to lifestyle medicine interventions that help slow cognitive decline, [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] is conserving public health dollars, promoting human dignity, and giving American families more good years with the people they love," CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said in a statement.

The department said that several federal initiatives are helping support the updated plan, including the Food and Drug Administration's new Alzheimer’s Prevention Accelerator, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health's collective investment of $48 million that will go to projects focused on earlier detection and intervention.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.