By Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement on November 18th, announcing a new major legislative initiative for the Texas Senate, the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT):
“One of the most successful existing health programs ever created in Texas is the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). CPRIT is a model of what a state can do in the area of medical research on a specific disease. CPRIT’s only focus is cancer. The state originally funded CPRIT for a decade, which was the key to attracting world-renowned leaders in cancer research to Texas.
“Today, I am announcing a new research program priority, structured like CPRIT, and funded for a decade. It will be the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). DPRIT will be laser-focused on Dementia, just as CPRIT is laser-focused on Cancer. Like CPRIT, this investment will draw leading researchers and companies to Texas and require them to be based in Texas, leading to their further investment in our state.
“Dementia is a broad term for diseases that affect cognitive abilities, memory, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer’s is the disease most people associate with Dementia.
“Dementia, and especially Alzheimer’s, touches so many families today. It is a heart breaking and devastating disease. Just as we are leading on cancer research, Texas can be a world leader in combatting Dementia, finding treatment and, one day, a cure.
“I have been working with Senate Committee on Finance Chair Joan Huffman, R-Houston, who is authoring the legislative priority in the Senate.
“Recently, I also traveled to Midland to meet with former Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, to help shape the legislation with him so we can build unanimous support in both the Senate and House.
“After DPRIT passes the legislature, the voters must approve it at the ballot box as a constitutional amendment, just as they did for CPRIT in 2007 and re-authorized in 2019.”