Why Congress Can’t Stop Aging But Can Have a Monumental Impact on its National Effects - 7/23/08

Dr. Dale E. Bredesen
Buck Institute for Aging Research

Dr. Bredesen has spent the past 22 years working in the field of aging research and sees firsthand the challenges our country faces as our population ages. He has witnessed the shift from death by infectious disease to that of chronic diseases, and the effects of that shift on our healthcare system. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, type II diabetes and renal failure, the leading causes of death, are generally not treated until the appearance of symptoms brings a patient to the attention of a physician. These diseases share a critical feature: by the time that symptoms appear, the disease is advanced, and very difficult and costly to treat.  More than 25 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic conditions, and we can expect that number to rise with the elder boom. 

Our nation’s healthcare system faces daunting challenges; however, many chronic diseases are preventable with less-costly, preemptive care. Dr. Bredesen will outline many of the research and healthcare challenges facing Congress as our nation ages: the funding of biomedical research, the approval process for new therapeutic approaches and combinations, and the design of the healthcare system. How Congress responds will define the future of this country and the health of its citizens.