What options are there for people who want to help test new treatments for Alzheimer's disease?

People with Alzheimer's disease and those with mild cognitive impairment who want to help scientists test possible treatments may be able to take part in clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies on people to find out whether a new drug or treatment is both safe and effective.

New therapies are tested on people only after laboratory and animal studies show promising results. The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, sets strict rules to make sure that people who agree to be in the studies are treated as safely as possible.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health, through its National Library of Medicine and other Institutes, maintains a database of clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov. Click here to see a list of the current clinical trials on Alzheimer's disease.

What other resources exist that can provide information about Alzheimer's disease?

The National Institute on Aging's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center, or the ADEAR Center, is a reliable source of information about Alzheimer's disease. Contact ADEAR at 1 (800) 438-4380 or visit the web site at www.alzheimers.org