Committee advances statewide Alzheimer's awareness campaign bill

Senator Simon told the committee SB 578 would create a statewide public‑health marketing campaign within the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative to promote early detection, brain health, clinical trials, and outreach to adults over 60 and at‑risk populations.

Priscilla Jean Louis, a caregiver, told senators the issue is personal and urged better public education about warning signs and resources, noting recent FDA approvals for blood tests to aid diagnosis. The Department of Elder Affairs would contract with nonprofits to implement outreach across multiple media platforms, with a focus on high‑risk populations and reducing disparities.

Senator Simon noted roughly 580,000 Floridians are living with Alzheimer's and dementia, and the committee adopted an amendment to place the campaign into the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative statute. The clerk reported CS for SB 578 favorably.