Boost in federal Alzheimer's funding would trickle to AZ

President Obama’s latest budget proposal asks Congress to fund $80 million for Alzheimer’s research. If it’s approved, the money would likely trickle down to researchers in Arizona . From Phoenix , KJZZ’s Peter O’Dowd reports.

PETER ODOWD: The National Institutes of Health spends 450-million dollars a year on Alzheimer’s research. The president’s proposalwould increase overall spending by 25 percent. Banner Sun Health Research Institute Director Marwan Sabbagh says Arizona research facilities like T-Gen, the Mayo Clinic and Banner would benefit from the infusion.

MARWAN SABBAGH: Since we’re a leading group of researchers in Arizona, we are likely to contribute to the national effort and in so doing will help accelerate the discoveries and treatments.

O’DOWD: Sabbagh and other researchers say the extra investment is a good step, but Alzheimer’s research is still significantly underfunded compared to other diseases. Sabbagh says 275,000 Arizonans will have Alzheimer’s by 2020. Peter O’Dowd, KJZZ News, Phoenix .