President Signs ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act
The bipartisan law extends programs that expand access to investigational ALS therapies and strengthen research infrastructure.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
President signed the bipartisan ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act into law, extending the ACT for ALS Act first enacted in 2021. The law extends reauthorization for five years and supports programs that expand access to investigational therapies for ALS.
Why it matters
The law preserves federal initiatives aimed at accelerating the discovery, development, and delivery of ALS treatments, and it strengthens research infrastructure for ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. There is currently no cure for ALS, so continued federal support for research and clinical trial approaches is central to the search for better options.
The reauthorization runs for five years, building on the 2021 ACT for ALS Act. Familial forms account for 5 to 10 percent of ALS cases, while military veterans and firefighters have nearly double the general population's chance of developing the disease.
The players
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association operates a nationwide network of MDA/ALS Care Centers and has spent seven decades supporting research into ALS and other neuromuscular conditions, serving roughly 300 neuromuscular conditions in total.
Sharon Hesterlee
Sharon Hesterlee is President and CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, leading the organization's research and patient-services efforts.
Paul Melmeyer
Paul Melmeyer is Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, overseeing the organization's federal policy work.
The details
The ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act was bipartisan legislation co-led in advocacy by the Muscular Dystrophy Association alongside advocates, researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and families. The law extends programs expanding access to investigational therapies, strengthens research infrastructure, and fosters innovative clinical trial approaches.
Timeline
2021: The original ACT for ALS Act was first enacted.
November 3, 2026: President signed the ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act into law.
Health Landscape
The reauthorization extends the ACT for ALS Act first enacted in 2021, continuing federal programs that expand access to investigational therapies. It builds on that earlier framework rather than starting new federal ALS efforts from scratch.
For people living with ALS, the law aims to widen access to investigational therapies through expanded programs. Patients and families may see new clinical trial options sooner as research infrastructure is strengthened over the five-year period.
The takeaway
Federal support for ALS research is being extended for five more years, which keeps promising therapies moving through development. Readers affected by ALS or other rare neurodegenerative diseases can track how these programs translate into available treatments.
Further reading
For more on neurodegenerative research, explore the Alzheimer’s section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
