NPR Cost and Controversy Are Limiting Use of New Alzheimer s Drug Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 03 December 2021 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles NPR Cost and Controversy Are Limiting Use of New Alzheimer s Drug Because a treatment for Alzheimer's has proved elusive, doctors expected the first drug to enter the market to be imperfect, say Cedars-Sinai experts. Photo by Getty Images. National Public Radio's Morning Edition program recently spoke with Zaldy Tan, MD, MPH, medical director of the Jona Goldrich Center for Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders at Cedars-Sinai, about lackluster demand for the new Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm. The Food and Drug Administration granted conditional approval of Aduhelm in June, making it the first new drug approved to treat Alzheimer's since 2003. The medication targets and eliminates amyloid plaque, the sticky substance that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, causing confusion and memory loss. It is intended for patients in the early stages of the disease, which affects 6 million people in the U.S. There is no proof that eliminating amyloid plaque will reverse the disease or symptoms, Tan told Morning Edition. "This is not a cure," he said. "The disease will continue, and perhaps the best-case scenario is that someone will get a modest improvement in their cognition. But it's not going to stop the disease from progressing." Additionally, the drug's side effects can be serious. "It can cause cerebral hemorrhage and swelling in a significant number of patients," Tan said. "So, I think that's something [patients] will need to consider when deciding whether to take this drug or not." Patients also have balked at paying out of pocket for the $56,000-per-year medication, which isn't yet covered by Medicare or commercial insurers. NPR reported that sales totaled only $300,000 in the three months following Aduhelm's approval. But because a treatment for Alzheimer's has proved so elusive, doctors expected the first drug to enter the market to be imperfect, Tan told NPR. But, he said, "most of us didn't anticipate that it [would] be this imperfect." Click here for the complete story from NPR's Morning Edition. Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries October 07, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles HealthDay recently interviewed Rebecca J. Schneyer, MD, a resident in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Cedars-Sinai, about a study she led that found Black and Hispanic women were less likely than white women to receive minimally … Read more KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot October 06, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles KCRW program Press Play recently featured Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai, discussing who qualifies for the updated COVID-19 booster and how long patients must wait before getting the shot.The Centers … Read more ABC 7 Spider-Man Swings by 4-Year-Old Leukemia Patient s Birthday Party at Cedars-Sinai September 30, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles ABC 7 recently profiled Cedars-Sinai patient Jabari Henley, who celebrated his fourth birthday with a special superhero at Guerin Children's newly opened inpatient facility.The Lifedriven Foundation helped throw Henley a surprise party in the Guerin … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Share this release NPR Cost and Controversy Are Limiting Use of New Alzheimer s Drug Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home