Statewide Iowa — The first new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease in two decades was approved by the FDA in June and it’s finally starting to reach patients, though most Iowans won’t be able to afford it at least not yet.
Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says it’s encouraging that the drug is now in production.
Approval of the drug, Aduhelm, offers the promise of some relief for the 66-thousand Iowans who are now living with the most common cause of dementia.
Reports say a year-long course of the drug now costs 56-thousand dollars per patient. As six-million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, Aduhelm has the potential to be a multi-billion-dollar expense for Medicare.
While there’s the possibility the drug could slow progression of the disease, there’s an important distinction. It’s a treatment for Alzheimer’s, not a cure. Alzheimer’s is a progressive, degenerative and fatal brain disease. While 66,000 Iowans are now diagnosed with it, by 2025, that number is expected to grow to 74,000.
