EP 85 :: Beware Of Taking The New Alzheimer’s Drug Aduhelm :: Dr Winston Chiong
Dr. Winston Chiong is an Associate Professor in the University of San Francisco Department of Neurology Memory and Aging Center, and is principal investigator of the UCSF Decision Lab. His clinical practice focuses on Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and other cognitive disorders of aging.
Dr. Chiong talks with Bobbi and Mike about Aduhelm, the first new Alzheimer’s drug in 18 years and the many controversies swirling around it.
On June 7 the Food and Drug Administration granted conditional approval to Aducanumab also referred to as Aduhelm.. That approval is broad, making no distinction among the mild, moderate, and advanced stages of the memory-robbing disease and setting no requirements for its diagnosis. Three members of the advisory panel who opposed the drug resigned over the agency's decision.
“I read about this particular drug and how the approval has been handled. And it's hard for me to trust the FDA going forward. It's frightening that this is being treated with less care than I think it should be,“ Bobbi says.
“I've already fielded a number of questions from family caregivers who I work with asking, ‘Is this drug right for my family member?’ And in every case so far, I said I don't recommend the use of this drug. I actually can't think of a patient of mine who I would recommend taking this drug,” Dr. Chiong says.
The drug will be administered through infusions every four weeks, resulting in a yearly cost of about $56,000 and preliminary estimates suggest patients' copayments for the drug could cost around $11,500 annually.
“This is not what we need to address dementia and Alzheimer's disease in this country or anywhere,” Dr. Chiong explains. “I think those of us in the scientific community believe that to fight a disease as complicated as Alzheimer's disease we're going to need to do the best science we can possibly do. It's going to take a lot, and it's going to take real clear thinking. Being guided by not just hope but actual evidence and data.”
You can follow Dr. Chiong on Twitter.
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