health

Alzheimer's drug stirs hope for patients, worry for doctors

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By TOM MURPHY and MATTHEW PERRONE

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Karl Newkirk hopes to start taking Aduhelm if his doctor gives the OK because he doesn't see any other treatments worth trying.

This is the main problem, the drug have very limited evidence of working, but without any other option (no diet, routine, surgery) patients understandably want access to it, so if in 5 years it turns out it does work, even if a little, then they would not have lost that time. This is the supposed rational that based the approval, but doctors are not convinced. The drug is not cheap, and patients could lose more than money by betting on this option, as mentioned it could turn out just prolonging the burden without offering any productive time.

Fortunately there seem to be other drugs in the pipeline that could solve the problem in the relatively near future, having several options would let the patients choose the one that offers more clear advantages.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Insurers — including the biggest bill payer for this drug, Medicare — still need to determine which patients to cover for a treatment that could cost more than $50,000 a year. 

This is a sentence that should never have to be written, though at least Medicare will be one of the biggest contributors. Also props to centers like the Michigan Institute that will help cover costs.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why no mention of Eisai who co-developed this drug with biogen?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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