Alzheimer’s patient groups in the United States are launching public awareness and lobbying efforts to protest Medicare’s intention to severely limit coverage of new treatments for the brain-wasting illness. They fear the move might postpone their usage for ten years.
“Congress has to realise how horrible this is going to be for people,” said John Dwyer, head of the advocacy group Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation (GAP).
The US Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), which administers the government health plan for people 65 and older, announced last week that it would cover Biogen Inc’s already approved Aduhelm, as well as similar Alzheimer’s disease treatments in development, only for patients enrolled in approved clinical trials.
The FDA’s rapid approval of Aduhelm for patients in the early stages of the memory-robbing illness was undercut by this strategy, which would drastically limit the number of patients receiving the drug.
The public outcry over the drug’s use is unprecedented for the two organisations, which are both part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Medicare’s plan, according to Alzheimer’s Association CEO Harry Johns, “usurps FDA’s involvement in drug approvals,” and is “an unusual and horrible draught judgement.”
His organisation, along with UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and GAP – three of the largest Alzheimer’s patient organisations – said that they intend to appeal the decision to Congress, the Biden administration, and the US Secretary of Health and Human Services. To make its argument, the Alzheimer’s Association stated that it is using “all means of communication.”
Biogen is also fighting the decision, stating that it is “supportive of the community in expressing their voices on this crucial issue of access” in a statement.
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