Autism Research Gets Stimulus Money for a Short-Term Boost
The National Institutes of Health is trying to kickstart autism research with $60 million in grant funding from the stimulus bill. It is the largest-ever funding opportunity for research into the neuro-developmental disorder, says the NIMH, the NIHs mental-health arm.
The CDC estimates that autism now strikes 1 in 150 U.S. children, and the epidemic spurred the government to put out a research plan in January. President Obama himself has made autism a priority, promising to put $1 billion in funds towards research. The NIMH grants support research on topics like early intervention and diagnostic testing.
All this urgency is because there are few options for autistic children beyond behavior and diet modifications. The only drug on the market for the condition — J&Js antipsychotic Risperdal — treats irritability associated with autism, but not the underlying disease. The HHS Interagency Coordinating Committee, which put out the January research plan, likened autism to Alzheimers in terms of cost to society, running as high as $90 billion a year.
But while Alzheimers is a big push right now for drug makers, few if any novel medicines are being tested now by Big Pharma for autism. One industry-supported study, looking at Prozac, failed last […]
Read more this great post here
