82R28202 CBE-F
By: Zerwas H.R. No. 1978
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and
irreversible brain disorder characterized by a steady decline in
cognitive, behavioral, and physical abilities severe enough to
interfere with daily life; and
WHEREAS, Disease progression and physical manifestations
include loss of strength and balance, the inability to perform
simple tasks and physical activities, and incontinence; as more of
the brain is affected, areas that control basic life functions like
swallowing and breathing become irreversibly damaged, leading to
death; and
WHEREAS, AD is the seventh leading cause of death in the
United States and has an economic burden that exceeds $182 billion
annually; 5.4 million people in the United States have AD,
including approximately 340,000 Texans; Texas ranks third in the
number of AD cases and second in the number of AD deaths; a new
person develops AD every 69 seconds, and current projections
indicate that this rate will increase to one new case every 33
seconds by 2050; and
WHEREAS, Other causes of death have been declining in recent
years, but those due to AD have risen; between 2000 and 2006, deaths
from heart disease, stroke, and prostate cancer declined by 12
percent, 18 percent, and 14 percent, respectively, while deaths
attributable to AD increased by 47 percent; by 2050, AD is expected
to strike nearly a million additional persons per year in the United
States and affect an estimated 11 to 16 million Americans; and
WHEREAS, Individuals providing care for AD patients in Texas
grew from 690,058 to 852,820 between 2005 and 2009, with most of
these being unpaid family members; the estimated total value of
this unpaid care in Texas increased from $5.8 billion in 2005 to
$11.2 billion in 2009, the second highest in the nation; Texas
businesses are also impacted by AD, losing over $14 billion
annually in health care costs and lost productivity; and
WHEREAS, There is a great need for Texas to develop
infrastructure and capability commensurate with the state's
increasing burden imposed by AD; in 2005, recognizing Texas' AD
challenge, the legislature began making investments in AD research,
and at the close of the 2009-2011 biennium, nearly $12.5 million
will have been put toward this cause; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker
of the house of representatives to create a joint interim committee
to study the overall economic and systemic impact of Alzheimer's
disease through 2017, including an inventory of public and private
infrastructure and capacity for addressing the challenges of AD;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the study identify funds and systems to
support and expand ongoing statewide disease-specific strategic
planning through the Texas Department of State Health Services and
also identify funds and systems available to support and expand
activities of the Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be
governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim
committees as the 82nd Legislature may adopt.