For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new blood test that can detect Alzheimer’s disease as accurately as a spinal tap. The discovery is powered by biomarker detection, which can not only identify diseases in early stages, but help inform potential treatment options.
More Americans Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Than Ever Before
The average age of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is 80 years. But most patients first show symptoms in their early- to mid-60s, meaning a less-invasive test could catch more cases in the most-treatable stages.
A rapidly aging population living longer means almost half a million new cases of Alzheimer’s are diagnosed every year in the United States alone — one every 67 seconds. The surge has increased urgency to improve how the disease is detected, diagnosed and treated, leading to innovation. The biomarker blood test is one such step forward.
Americans Want to Know Sooner
A new special report shows that most Americans would prefer to know if they are developing Alzheimer’s before their capacity and daily activities are impacted. This openness to early detection reflects a shift in public attitudes; until recently, many doctors were hesitant to admit to their patients that they had dementia even once a diagnosis had been made.
Now, as testing and screening options continue to evolve, blood biomarker tests become more accessible, and with disease-modifying treatments now available, 90% of Americans say they’d like to know before symptoms appear. Alzheimer’s patients who receive a diagnosis can not only benefit from medical interventions to slow their decline and extend their time with loved ones, but also can make legal and financial arrangements and plan for long-term care.
For early intervention to become standard, as Americans now clearly wish it to be, the tools to detect and confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis must be more widely available.
Only Some Can Access Cutting-Edge Care
PET scans have long served as the gold standard in Alzheimer’s diagnostics, allowing doctors to see the amyloid plaques in the brain. But newer methods promise to help ensure answers earlier with a simple blood test for biomarkers. Ultimately, by reducing the complexity and cost of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, researchers hope to reach more patients sooner, when treatments can do the most good.
Through greater cognitive screening of seniors – and access to testing including blood biomarker tests – we can make steady advances in Alzheimer’s care. However, ensuring insurers allow this access is critical.
In some states, families struggle to get coverage even after a diagnosis. Even though the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first treatments for Alzheimer’s that actually slow cognitive impairment, many insurers consider them experimental, and decline to pay for the drug, especially for older patients.
Policy Updates Are Needed
The breakthrough blood test can make identifying Alzheimer’s biomarkers faster, cheaper and less worrying for the patient. But simply creating new medical technologies doesn’t mean patients will automatically be able to access them. As diagnostic science advances, policy and patient support must keep up.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s earlier creates a window for treatment, planning and support, but only if systems are in place to ensure patients can access both testing and treatment. Insurance coverage for less-invasive diagnostics and FDA-approved treatment, along with sustained investment in public health infrastructure, can help ensure every patient facing Alzheimer’s disease — all seven million — receives quality care.
