'Breakthrough' Alzheimer's Drugs Unlikely to Significantly Benefit Patients, Report Suggests

The analysis focused on drugs like donanemab and lecanemab, which target beta amyloid, a sticky protein that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. While trials showed these drugs could slow the pace of cognitive decline, marking a significant scientific achievement, the new report questions their practical benefit for patients and their families. The drugs also carry risks of brain swelling and bleeding, and require frequent, costly administration.

Experts are divided on the report's findings. Some, like Prof. Edo Richard, a neurologist, believe it's crucial to be honest with patients about the limited benefits and burdens of these treatments. Others argue that the review unfairly groups newer, more effective drugs with older experimental ones, blurring the evidence. The high cost, estimated at £90,000 for an 18-month course privately in the UK, also raises questions about accessibility and affordability, even if the drugs were deemed more effective.