The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that they have granted accelerated approval to Lecanemab, which is meant for patients confirmed to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
The FDA says that this is the second approved drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer's while it's in its early stages, which gives people more time to participate in their daily life and live independently. According to the FDA, this could mean more months of a patient recognizing their spouse, children, and grandchildren.Â
The FDA notes that though this development is exciting, without insurance and Medicare coverage of this class of treatments, access is limited to only the people that can pay out-of-pocket for it.
The Alzheimer's association has submitted a formal request to remove the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be enrolled in a clinical trial in order to receive coverage of FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments, says the FDA.
They say there are more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, and it's a leading cause of death in the country. There are also more than 11 million family members and friends that provide care to people living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, with over 19,000 patients and 47,000 people caring for them in Delaware.
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America is also encouraging people to schedule their annual memory screening appointments. AFA offers free, confidential memory screenings through a secure virtual format every weekday, with no minimum age or insurance prerequisites, and they say appointments can be scheduled by calling AFA at 866-232-8484 or through AFA’s website here.
“Annual memory screenings should be part of everyone’s health and wellness routine, even if you’re not currently experiencing memory problems. Just like other facets of our health, our brains need regular checkups too,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “Start the new year off by being proactive about your brain health and scheduling your 2023 memory screening appointment.”
The AFA says that memory screenings are simple, quick, and noninvasive, consisting of a series of questions administered by a qualified professional. They say the questions gauge memory, language, thinking skills, and other intellectual questions. They note that though the results are not a diagnosis, they could suggest if someone should see a physician for a full evaluation.
The AFA stresses the importance of early detection of memory impairments. They say many different conditions can cause memory issues, including treatable or curable conditions such as vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, urinary tract infections, sleep apnea, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Even in the case of a dementia-related illness such as Alzheimer’s, early detection can provide greater opportunity to begin treatments that can help slow the symptoms of the disease, as well as taking part in a clinical trial, says the AFA, also affording the person the chance to take advantage of community services, such as support groups and therapeutic programming, that can help maximize quality of life, as well as have a greater say in making legal, financial and health care decisions.