AFTD is excited to share that congressional reports for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bills in the Senate and House of Representatives include language encouraging research on FTD.

The Senate LHHS Committee report highlights the urgent need for biomarker discovery in diverse populations, long-term studies like the ARTFL LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ALLFTD) that make clinical trials possible, and the creation of a secure network to enable broad sharing of research and biological samples. The report also emphasizes the importance of culturally appropriate research, innovative trial designs, and inclusive recruitment, recognizing the unique challenges of studying a rare dementia like FTD that often affects people at a younger age.

The House FY26 LHHS bill similarly acknowledges the need for continued investment in Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) and recognizes the importance of longitudinal studies like ALLFTD. The inclusion of both the House and Senate language signals bipartisan support for sustaining National Institutes of Health (NIH) dementia and FTD research initiatives.

Despite the work to advance the LHHS funding bills, Congress faces a challenging appropriations process this year. While the Senate has advanced a bipartisan LHHS bill that increases NIH funding modestly compared to FY25, the House version maintains funding closer to flat levels. There are other significant differences between the two bills, and reconciling these differences will be critical.

For the FTD community, the recognition of FTD-specific research priorities in the Senate and House reports is an encouraging milestone and reinforces the importance of dementia research at NIH. The NIH currently invests more than $3 billion annually in AD/ADRD research, with funding for FTD steadily growing over the past decade thanks to advocacy from families, researchers, and organizations like AFTD. Final FY26 funding levels will determine how much NIH can expand biomarker discovery, data infrastructure, and clinical trial readiness for FTD and other dementias.

The recognition of FTD research by the LHHS committee is a meaningful step forward for the FTD community. We are grateful to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for sustaining dementia research priorities, and to all our advocates who helped elevate the needs of people and families facing FTD. Together, we can build on this momentum—add your voice today through our email campaign using the button below.