[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 141 (Friday, July 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46791-46792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-15045]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HHS Request for Comment on the Update to the National Plan To
Address Alzheimer's Disease
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the
Department).
ACTION: Notice of Request for Information (RFI) to inform a
comprehensive update to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's
Disease.
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SUMMARY: HHS released the first National Plan to Address Alzheimer's
Disease in 2012, establishing a comprehensive framework to accelerate
scientific progress and improve support for individuals living with
Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD)
and their families. Since then, the National Plan has been updated
annually and has guided federal efforts across research, care delivery,
public health, and data infrastructure. HHS is now updating the overall
National Plan to lead federal efforts through 2035. HHS would like
input from the public to inform the future direction of federal
efforts. Through this RFI, HHS invites public comment on approaches to
advancing AD/ADRD research and development of new interventions to
prevent and treat dementia, risk reduction strategies, early detection
and diagnostic tools, and/or enhanced care, services, and supports for
people living with dementia and their families, caregivers, and care
partners. The Department also seeks input on gaps, emerging priorities,
and opportunities to strengthen coordination across federal, state,
Tribal, local, private sector, and community partners.
The purpose of this RFI is to solicit public input to inform the
development of a comprehensive update to the National Plan to Address
Alzheimer's Disease, including future goals and priorities.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: RFI Docket: You may examine the RFI docket at
regulations.gov under HHS-ASPE-2026-0298. The docket contains this RFI
and all comments received to date. To submit a response, click the
``Comment'' button inside Docket: HHS-ASPE-2026-0298 and follow all
instructions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria-Theresa Okafor, Ph.D., MCG,
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE),
771-223-7102 or by email at: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA)
(Public Law 111-375) was passed by Congress in 2010 and signed into law
on January 4, 2011, in recognition of the growing impact of AD/ADRD on
the American public. NAPA requires the Secretary of HHS to create and
maintain a coordinated national strategy to address AD/ADRD, including
advancing research, improving care and services, and enhancing public
awareness. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease serves as
the nation's blueprint for achieving the vision of a nation free of AD/
ADRD. Congress and federal partners have supported significant
advancements in Alzheimer's disease research, care models, and public
health infrastructure. These efforts have contributed to meaningful
progress in scientific discovery, increased public awareness, and
expanded supports for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
To sustain and build on this progress, Congress enacted the NAPA
Reauthorization Act (Public Law 118-92) on October 1, 2024, extending
the federal commitment to addressing AD/ADRD over the next decade. HHS
will undertake a comprehensive update of the National Plan in 2026 to
identify emerging priorities and future goals with a focus on AD/ADRD
research and development of new interventions to prevent and treat
dementia, risk reduction strategies, early detection and diagnostic
tools and pathways to treatment, and enhanced long-term services and
supports for people living with AD/ADRD and their caregivers and care
partners.
Request for Information
For this RFI, HHS is seeking input from the public, including
individuals living with AD/ADRD, caregivers, researchers, clinicians,
service providers, advocates, faith- and community- based
organizations, state, Tribal, and local officials, policymakers and
other interested stakeholders. Respondents are encouraged to include
supporting facts, research, and evidence in their comments, including
citations to the published materials referenced, and active hyperlinks,
where available. The questions below are of particular interest.
This RFI should not be construed as a policy, solicitation for
applications, or as an obligation on the part of the government to
provide support for any ideas in response to it. HHS will use the
information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion and
will not provide comments on any respondent's submission. However,
responses to this RFI may be reflected in future solicitation(s) or
policies. The information provided will be analyzed and may appear in
reports.
Instructions
Responses submitted at regulations.gov/deregulation should follow
the format provided there. You may respond to one or more of the
questions listed below and please include question numbers provided in
the response. Each responding entity (person or organization) is
requested to submit only one response. Unless submitted anonymously,
responses should include the name(s) of the person(s) or
organization(s) submitting the comment. If a comment is submitted on
behalf of an organization, the individual respondent's role in the
organization may also be provided.
This RFI is voluntary, and responses may be submitted anonymously.
Comments submitted in response to this RFI may be posted on HHS
websites or otherwise released publicly. Please do not submit
proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information, to
include personally identifiable (PII) or personal health information
(PHI), in response to this RFI.
This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and should
not be construed as a policy, solicitation for applications, or as an
obligation on the part of the government to provide support for any
ideas in response to it. HHS will use the information submitted at its
discretion and will not comment on any respondent's submission.
However, responses to this RFI may be reflected in future
solicitation(s) or policies. The information provided will be analyzed
and may appear in reports. Respondents are advised that the government
is not obligated to acknowledge receipt of submissions. Those
submitting responses are solely responsible for all expenses associated
with response preparation.
[[Page 46792]]
Questions
1. What opportunities or challenges exist in advancing research and
development of interventions to prevent or treat AD/ADRD, including
translating scientific progress into effective and scalable treatments
and care?
2. What opportunities or challenges exist in improving risk
reduction and promoting brain health across the lifespan?
3. What barriers or challenges affect early detection and timely
diagnosis of AD/ADRD?
4. What are the most significant gaps in dementia care, services,
and supports for people living with AD/ADRD and their families,
caregivers and care partners, including caregiver well-being?
5. What models, programs, or practices are currently working well
in supporting people living with AD/ADRD and their families,
caregivers, and care partners, and what factors contribute to their
success (e.g., effectiveness, scalability, or applicability across
settings)?
6. What health outcomes and care goals are most meaningful to
people living with AD/ADRD and their families, caregivers, and care
partners, and how should these be measured and incorporated into care
over time?
7. What barriers exist to accessing timely, high-quality, person-
centered care across different community settings and stages of disease
progression?
8. What workforce or infrastructure challenges most affect:
a. AD/ADRD research and intervention development
b. risk reduction activities
c. public health AD/ADRD initiatives
d. delivery of healthcare and long-term care
e. support for families, caregivers, and care partners?
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2026-15045 Filed 7-23-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P