The Problem
Washington DC, May 19, 2010, A new report from the Alzheimer’s Association, “Changing the Trajectory of
Alzheimer’s Disease: A National Imperative” shows that in the absence of disease-modifying treatments, the
cumulative cost of care for people with Alzheimer’s from 2010 to 2050 will exceed $20 trillion in today’s dollars.
The new report is not all bad news, however, as it shows that Medicare and Medicaid can achieve dramatic
savings - and lives could be significantly improved - with even incremental treatment improvements.
Harry John’s, President & CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association said, “ Today, there are NO treatments that can
prevent, delay, slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. While the ultimate goal is a treatment that
can completely prevent or cure Alzheimer’s, we can see that even modest improvements can have a huge
impact”
Reuters, June 12, 2010, Drug Makers to Share Data to Speed Brain Research, in an unprecedented
announcement major drug makers will share data from their clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease.
Despite decades of study, and billions of dollars of research efforts, doctors still have few effective treatments for
Alzheimer's disease.
NY Times, July 13, 2010, Rules Seek to Expand Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, for the first time in 25 years, medical
experts are proposing a major change in the criteria for Alzheimer’s disease, part of a new movement to diagnose
and, eventually, treat the disease early. If the guidelines are adopted in the fall, as expected, some experts predict
a two- to threefold increase in the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Many more people would be told
they probably are on their way to getting it. The changes could also help drug companies that are, for the first
time, developing new drugs to try to attack the disease earlier. So far, there are no drugs that alter the course of
the disease.
