U.S President Barack Obama addresses the audience attending the "In Performance at the White House" event, at which music legends and contemporary artists perform to celebrate blues music and in recognition of Black History Month, in Washington February 21, 2012.Chris Kleponis / Reuters
This week, the Obama Administration unveiled its proposals to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease by 2025.
There is currently no known therapy that can halt the mind-robbing disease.
Earlier this month, the White House announced it would be devoting millions of tax dollars to the cause, including an extra $130-million in research funding in the next two years alone.
The detailed draft plan, released on Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, makes treatment a top priority, but it also calls for new programs to reduce the burden placed on families and caregivers.
Some health experts have criticized the plan as not being aggressive enough. And the goal itself may be overly ambitious, given the fact that scientists still don't have a good handle on the biological mechanisms that drive the disease. It usually takes many years to develop and test new therapies.
Nonetheless, if the U.S. effort pays off, millions of Alzheimer's patients worldwide would reap the benefits.