Whereas Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (referred to in this resolution as CJD ) is a rare, fatal brain disorder within a group of illnesses called prion diseases; Whereas CJD occurs in approximately 1 to 2 cases per million individuals each year, resulting in approximately 500 cases annually in the United States, 85 percent of which are designated as sporadic, with no known causes, while 10 to 15 percent are deemed genetic and fewer than 1 percent are deemed acquired; Whereas, in the early stages of the disease, CJD patients may exhibit failing memory, behavioral changes, impaired coordination, and visual disturbances, and as the illness progresses, and mental deterioration becomes more pronounced while involuntary movements, blindness, weakness of extremities, and ultimately coma may occur; Whereas CJD typically leads to death within a few months to 1 year following the onset of symptoms; Whereas comprehensive prion disease surveillance is critical in order to develop more efficient detection methods, and to determine whether humans can acquire the disease through the consumption of prion contaminated beef (known to cause Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease) or meat from elk and deer affected by Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD); Whereas continued prion disease surveillance, particularly through examination of postmortem human brain tissue, is imperative to evaluate whether CWD has or can spread to humans; Whereas Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) research could benefit from the study of prion diseases, like CJD; Whereas caregiver and health services research of ADRD should be applied to prion diseases, like CJD, which shares many of the same challenges; Whereas the families and communities affected by CJD have a compelling story due to the rarity and rapid effects of the disease; Whereas from the time of diagnosis CJD presents unique challenges and burdens for patients, their family members and caregivers given the rapidly progressive nature of this devastating disease