Risk Control Strategies Inc. (RCS) was pleased to announce the formation of the RCS Alzheimer’s Foundation, a 501c 3 non profit in 2007. Since then, RCS has continued to donate a significant portion of it’s yearly earnings, as well as a generous percentage of revenue from their booksales, to Alzheimer’s research. This foundation is dedicated to the memory of Michael Viollis and Robert ‘Bob’ Kane. RCS co-founders, Doug Kane and Paul Viollis felt compelled to join the fight against Alzheimer’s after witnessing, first hand, the horrific effects that this disease has on its victims and their loved ones. Our intent in creating the RCS Alzheimer’s Foundation is straightforward. That is to generate revenue through various forms of fundraising, each year, and donate 100% of the proceeds to Alzheimer’s research.
Meet RCS’ Alzheimer Scientist Dr. Bartzokis
George Bartzokis, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Bartzokis graduated cum laude from Harvard University and earned his medical degree at Yale School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in Psychiatry at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and a Research Fellowship in brain imaging. Prior to his current academic appointment he was Professor in the UCLA Department of Neurology and Clinical Core Director of the UCLA Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease Clinic.
Dr. Bartzokis developed a novel conceptualization of the human brain that focuses on myelin (the myelin model) and proposes that the development, maintenance, and degeneration of myelin contribute to many prevalent developmental and degenerative diseases that plague the human species across its lifespan. His goal is to use brain imaging, genetic, and cognitive biomarkers to better define healthy brain changes and identify abnormalities at very early stages of diseases such as Alzheimer’s when safe treatment interventions can arrest progression and possibly prevent these diseases.
Dr. Bartzokis and RCS believe that the predictability and preventability of the Alzheimer’s disease disaster can be summarized in the following five bullet points:
1.) The principal treatment target of the last 20 years (amyloid) has been hit (meaning that some of the treatment actually succeeded in removing the amyloid from the brain of Alzheimer’s patients), however, the removal of amyloid has not changed the disease course.
2.) This failed amyloid effort demonstrates that research can succeed, however, more pertinent and promising treatment targets need to be investigated.
3.) There is insufficient funding to expand the treatment and prevention efforts to include non-amyloid targets and, after severe financial losses, the pharmaceutical industry is beginning to abandon its efforts while NIH funding is also declining.
4.) There are many promising treatment and prevention strategies that will not be investigated quickly enough to make any difference to the Boomer generation and all individuals over the age of 65 when the risk begins to increase exponentially by doubling every 5 years. By age 85 this risk reaches nearly 50% of individuals and is considerably higher in individuals with a family history of the disease or a history of brain trauma or other brain insult such as stroke.
5.) This predictable and preventable humanitarian disaster threatens the lives of millions patients and their families as the aging Boomer generations will triple the rate of Alzheimer’s over the next 20 years. The tripling of the associated costs of the disease will threaten the solvency of the healthcare system and the security of this nation and all its citizens.