Alzheimer's disease is extremely prevalent in the population today, especially the United States. Currently, 5.5 million people are formally diagnosed with the disease, one in nine people aged 65 or over. Right now that population over 65 amounts to about 40 million Americans. With the first members of the baby boom turning 70 last year, by 2050, this population will be more like 90 million.
It is expensive to care for all these people. It costs the United States roughly $200 billion annually, and an expected $1.1 trillion by 2050. It is in our best interest to find a solution for this disease that will only become more prevalent every year; if you do the math, it's a new case every 69 seconds.
As shown below, diseases like cancer, heart disease, and HIV have been causing less deaths in the population since 2000. All of them have decreased in the amounts of deaths caused... except for Alzheimer's disease, which has caused 71% more. Further funds and research is needed to find a solution to this problem.
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