The first Alzheimer’s drug with potential to slow disease progression may receive FDA approval by July 6; however, accessing the drug could be challenging for patients.
Upcoming drug: Lecanemab, shown to remove amyloid-beta from the brains of early-stage Alzheimer’s patients, could receive full FDA approval soon.
* Conditional approval was granted in January, but most Medicare patients cannot access the drug until full approval is granted.
Challenges after approval: Medicare will require doctors to participate in a registry to track the drug’s safety and effectiveness, which may discourage some from prescribing it.
* Inadequate coverage for brain scans and related services could also create obstacles.
* Doctors and medical facilities may need to meet certain criteria in order to provide treatment.
Limited applicability: Lecanemab’s high cost and modest benefit may deter some patients.
* Eisai, the drug’s maker, estimates the yearly cost at $26,500, not including diagnostic and follow-up tests.
* The drug may not be suitable for those with advanced Alzheimer’s or those taking blood thinners.
Infrastructure concerns: The U.S. healthcare system may not have enough memory specialists or infusion clinics to accommodate the potential patient demand for lecanemab.
This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.
Leave a Reply