Health Canada Approves Alzheimer’s Drug, Sparking Hope and Calls for More Research
Health Canada has recently approved lecanemab (Leqembi), marking the first new Alzheimer’s treatment approved in over a decade and the first to target the underlying biology of the disease. This drug is intended for adults diagnosed with mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s and works by clearing amyloid plaques in the brain. However, access is limited to those without the APOE4 gene, which increases the risk of side effects. While the drug shows promise in slowing the disease’s progression, challenges include the need for intravenous administration, regular MRIs, and high costs, as well as the fact that the drug is not yet covered by public drug plans.
John Q. Hosedrinker