RTI re-accredited by AATB

RTI Donor Services (Tempe, Arizona) has been re- accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB; McLean, Virginia).

Originally accredited in 2003, RTI Donor Services' re-certification establishes that the level of medical, technical and administrative performance within the facility meets or exceeds the standards set by the AATB. Nearly 100 similar facilities across the U.S. and abroad are AATB-accredited.

U.S. concerned about Alzheimer's, few prepared

U.S. adults fear getting Alzheimer's disease more than heart disease, stroke or diabetes. However, nearly nine out of 10 have taken no steps to prepare for this illness, though Alzheimer's attacks nearly 50% of those who live past age 85.

These are two key findings from a report, “MetLife Foundation Alzheimer's Survey: What America Thinks,” conducted by Harris Interactive (Rochester, New York) for MetLife Foundation (New York), a leading advocate for Alzheimer's disease research. The survey also found that more than a third of U.S. adults have a family member or friend who has Alzheimer's, and three out of five are concerned that they may someday have to provide for or care for someone with the mind-robbing disease.

Other major findings in the MetLife Foundation survey are that while U.S. adults surveyed (93%) say they know a lot or a little about the disease, and eight out of 10 think it is important to plan ahead for the possibility of getting Alzheimer's, fully 87% have taken no steps to prepare for the possibility of Alzheimer's.

“Our survey clearly shows that although adults fear Alzheimer's and the devastating effects it has on individuals, families and communities, few have done anything to prepare for a disease that destroys a person's memory, personality and ability to function independently,” said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. “The greatest risk factor in Alzheimer's is age, and, as Americans live longer, the threat of Alzheimer's will continue to increase.”