New Drug For Alzheimer’s Disease
Thanks to our friend Christine John-Fuller at the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter for sharing the big news about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving aducanumab (Biogen/Eisai) to treat Alzheimer’s’s disease. Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and more than five million Americans are living with the disease, including 180,000 of our North Carolina residents? If that number grows they’re estimating as many as 210,000 people will get a diagnosis by 2025.
They’re saying that this drug called, aducanumab (Biogen/Eisai) is the first one that slows Alzheimer’s disease down and might be the future for Alzheimer’s patients when it’s time for treatments. The treatment addresses the disease in a way that has never been done before, compared to currently approved drugs. In 2020, friends and family of those with Alzheimer’s in North Carolina provided an estimated 517 million hours of unpaid care, a contribution valued at $7.3 billion.
About our friends at the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter:
The Western Carolina Chapter provides patient and family services, information and referral, education, and advocacy in 49 central and western North Carolina counties. It offers opportunities to get involved and to make a difference, in addition to a variety of services including a 24/7 Helpline, support groups, educational programs, and MedicAlert®. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease or the Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter, visit alz.org/northcarolina or call (800) 272-3900. For the latest news and updates, follow Alzheimer’s Association on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
