Special topic section on health economics and public policy of Alzheimer's disease

These are undeniable statements that demonstrate the importance of the problem posed by AD and other dementing disorders. However, the burden of AD is complex, and there is growing concern that health economic researchers and policymakers are insufficiently describing the scope and magnitude of the problem both from a macroperspective and microperspective. We are now entering the 25th anniversary of the first public health and public policy advocacy efforts toward “Alzheimer’s prevention,” namely the 1992 publication of the “5-5 10-10 plan” [4]. It is worthwhile to review what has been accomplished and to identify the remaining challenges. The editors of Alzheimer’s & Dementia are therefore announcing the formation of a new Special Topic Section focused on the Health Economics and Public Policy of AD. The objective is to drive global standardization in this field and to stimulate the development of a comprehensive framework for evaluating the value of novel interventions for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and care of individuals at elevated risk or afflicted with AD.