LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ever since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug to treat people with Alzheimer's and dementia, some caretakers have been optimistic about the potential new "tool" to delay memory decline. The drug is called Aducanumab.
There is, however, some criticism about whether it's actually effective; an FDA advisory committee said last year that there's not enough evidence to prove its effectiveness. Still, those like Amy Clark at Barton House residence in Louisville hope it can be helpful for the people like those who live at her memory care center.
What You Need To Know
- The FDA has approved Aducanumab, a new treatment for patients with Alzheimer's
- The approval comes with some criticism, as an advisory committee said there's not enough evidence yet to prove it's effective
- Even so, some caretakers are optimistic about the potential delay in memory decline it could bring
Amy Clark was "very happy to hear the new this week."
"Seeing families and seeing memory care residents go through the loss of your loved one with their memory and not remembering who they are, is extremely painful. And anything that can help reduce the numbers of dementia in the area is a huge plus," the Barton House executive director said.
She runs the home that's cared for about 20 residents for 21 years. Clark and the nurses and caretakers at Barton House do activities and routines she said can help slow memory decline. It's all to help families have more time with their loved ones.
"Everything that we do, from color schemes to daily activity, daily routine of eating and resting and programming is all related to reducing that progression of the disease," Clark explained.
Aside from that, treatment is limited. Aducanumab would not be a cure for Alzheimer's, but rather a tool to delay decline. It's the first drug approved like this since 2003.
Shannon White, Chapter Executive at the Greater Kentucky Southern Indiana Alzheimer's Association is excited about the drug's potential.
"[Alzheimer's] is a very long, hard, and difficult road. And so, it is that you are slowly losing your loved one," White remarks, "we understand that there is some criticism out there, but again this is the first drug or treatment that has been approved in 20 years."
In other skepticism of the drug, one Upstate New York doctor told Spectrum News 1, there was not a diverse group of patients in the drug's trial group and that, African Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's than their white counterparts.