Long Island Neurosurgeon Warns 6.8 Million Americans Have Undiagnosed Brain Aneurysms as Congress Weighs Research Bill

LONG ISLAND, NY, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, an estimated 6.8 million Americans, roughly 1 in 50 people, are living with an unruptured brain aneurysm, and most have no idea. Each year approximately 30,000 of those aneurysms rupture, and the Brain Aneurysm Foundation reports that ruptures are fatal in about 50 percent of cases, with roughly 66 percent of survivors left with permanent neurological deficits.



With Congress now considering Ellie's Law, which would authorize $20 million annually in dedicated federal research funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, Long Island endovascular neurosurgeon Dr. Jeremy M. Liff says the country is approaching its most significant turning point in aneurysm care in a generation.



"Most people find out by accident, and many find out too late," says Dr. Liff, a board-certified endovascular neurosurgeon. "Someone gets a scan for migraines or after a fender bender, and a radiologist sees a bulge. That is how the lucky ones learn. The unlucky ones learn when their family is calling 911."



The disparity in who gets struck is striking. According to the text of H.R. 2678, brain aneurysms are nearly twice as likely to rupture in African Americans and 1.67 times more likely to rupture in Hispanic Americans compared to Caucasians. Women are affected at a 3 to 2 ratio compared to men, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Roughly half the victims of ruptured aneurysms are younger than 50.



According to a January 22, 2026, announcement from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, several of the foundation's research grant recipients have advanced to clinical trial stages with technologies focused on earlier detection, rupture risk prediction, and personalized treatment protocols. According to the bill text of H.R. 2678, the federal government currently spends approximately $2.94 per year on brain aneurysm research for each American living with the condition, a figure advocates argue is grossly inadequate given a public health burden that costs hospitals an estimated $2.7 billion annually.



"The science has moved faster than the public conversation," Dr. Liff says. "We can find these aneurysms earlier, treat them less invasively, and get patients home in days rather than weeks. What we cannot do is help the person who never gets screened, never recognizes the warning signs, and never makes it through the ER doors in time."



Dr. Jeremy Liff performs procedures at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NYU Langone Hospital Long Island in Mineola, and Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. He completed dual fellowships in vascular neurology at Mt. Sinai Hospital and endovascular neurosurgery at NYU Langone Medical Center.



"There is no excuse anymore for being uninformed about this," Dr. Liff says. "If you have a family history, get screened. If you have sudden head pain unlike anything you have ever felt, do not wait it out. The bottleneck is awareness, not technology."’



September is National Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month. For consultations regarding aneurysm risk assessment, screening recommendations, or treatment options, contact Dr. Liff's office at 516.612.9409.

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