ACT for ALS reauthorized for five additional years

Federal support for ALS research and patient care has been secured for another five years following the presidential signing of the ACT for ALS reauthorization bill. The legislation, which narrowly passed the Senate via unanimous consent, provides up to $500 million in additional funding.

First enacted in 2021, the original law was designed to address systemic barriers to investigational therapies. Data indicates that over 800 patients have accessed treatments through the program that would otherwise have been unavailable. The advocacy effort, led by the group I AM ALS, involved over 430 meetings with legislators and thousands of grassroots petition signatures.

Legislative proponents noted that the law not only funds research but maintains a critical framework for scientific collaboration. With this renewal, the program is set to continue its focus on data sharing and the expansion of clinical trial infrastructure, which stakeholders view as essential to long-term progress in neurodegenerative disease research.