U.S. officials granted full approval to a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug on Thursday, clearing the way for Medicare and other insurance plans to begin covering the treatment for people with the brain-robbing disease.

The Food and Drug Administration endorsed the IV drug, Leqembi, for patients with mild dementia and other symptoms caused by early Alzheimer's disease. It’s the first medicine that’s been convincingly shown to modestly slow Alzheimer’s cognitive decline.

 

 

Sounds great. I wonder how much it will cost in the U.S. and the U.K.?

"Leqembi comes from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and its U.S. partner Biogen. The companies have said Leqembi will cost about $26,500 a year."

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/07/06/1186225580/alzheimers-drug-leqembi-gets-full-fda-approval-medicare-coverage-lecanemab#:~:text=Leqembi comes from the Japanese,and its U.S. partner Biogen.

 

 

Surprise, surprise - only for the rich and wealthy and those "Golden Billion" in the West who can afford the insurance?

The rest of us 7 Billion commoners and plebs?  So sad, too bad.
 
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Edited July 7, 20232 yr by connda

Actually until some future date US Medicare will not pay for it as there is no method to apply for coverage in place (special rules apply).  It is not a cure and you still progress but for up to 30% it may be a few months to a year slower path.  As it is known as the "long goodbye" now not sure that will be much of an improvement for anyone but the drug maker, those selling and those taking care for renumeration.  But, as with cancer, we tend to welcome any extensions of stay here on earth as positive.

https://nypost.com/2023/07/07/da-approves-robust-dementia-drug-that-slows-cognitive-decline/

17 hours ago, connda said:

Surprise, surprise - only for the rich and wealthy and those "Golden Billion" in the West who can afford the insurance?

The rest of us 7 Billion commoners and plebs?  So sad, too bad.
 
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Do you remember the Hepatitis medicine that cost a fortune? Something like 100K on the beginning?

Soon enough there was an Indian copy, as they didn't sign these protections for medicine...as their focus is to help their own people.

You could order the India version for 3K. You met an Indian guy at the airport who had exactly 1 pack for "personal use" with him.

I heard with Insulin in USA there is also some smuggling....