Alzheimer's drug Leqembi has full FDA approval in the U.S. now and that means Medicare will pay for it | CBC News

Posted: Jul 07, 2023 3:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

The FDA confirmed those results by reviewing data from a larger, 1,800-patient study in which the drug slowed memory and thinking decline by about five months in those who got the treatment, compared to those who got a dummy drug."This confirmatory study verified that it is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease," said FDA's neurology drug director, Dr. Teresa Buracchio, in a statement.

The vast majority of Americans with Alzheimer's get their health coverage through Medicare. And private insurers have followed its lead by withholding coverage for Leqembi and a similar drug, Aduhelm, until they receive FDA's full endorsement.Hope and anxiety surround new Alzheimer’s drug lecanemabTwo pharmaceutical companies say a drug they’ve developed has the potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, something no treatment has been able to do.

Hospitals and medical clinics have cautioned that it may take time to get people started on the drug.

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