On Wednesday, experienced legislators and healthcare specialists stated that the US is in a favorable position to advance in the development of innovative methods for diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease. The country is ready to capitalize on emerging technologies.

However, they also highlighted a number of obstacles, such as limited patient accessibility and expensive care expenses.

POLITICO invited the experts, advocates and legislators to its “How Fast Can We Solve Alzheimer’s” POLITICO live event Wednesday evening, including Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.). Both said they want to reauthorize a law that provides public health funding to implement timely Alzheimer’s interventions known as

The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act is a government initiative focused on improving the infrastructure and resources available for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease..

These are the main points to remember:

The Senate is attempting to move forward with a healthcare proposal in 2024.

Kaine suggested that action needs to be taken regarding the health care workforce and pharmacy benefit manager bills that were approved by the HELP Committee last year. He also mentioned that there is a current discussion within the committee on the possibility of combining these bills with other components to create a comprehensive health care bill.

Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Guthrie, announced his intention to hold a hearing in the near future addressing the reauthorization of the BOLD Act.

Guthrie stated that there are not many days left for legislative work before the campaign season begins, so they are making a strong effort to accomplish tasks this spring.

Legislators desire therapies and examinations that meet the standards set by the FDA.

“Priority number one is to ensure that we have effective diagnostics and treatments,” stated Kaine. He emphasized the importance of maintaining high quality standards for drugs reviewed through the accelerated approval pathway.

The Republican party is currently prioritizing expanding Medicare coverage for treatments of Alzheimer’s disease. They believe that the current restrictions on access to FDA-approved treatments are unjust.

Guthrie suggested that Medicare should prioritize adjusting coverage for specific treatments rather than entire classes of pharmaceutical products after the FDA grants accelerated approval for a drug.

Guthrie expressed his opposition to the banning of a particular class of drugs.

Biogen’s choice to halt Aduhelm usage shifts attention towards early detection.

George Vradenburg, the co-founder and chairman of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, stated that Biogen’s choice to halt the development and sale of Aduhelm, a contentious treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, is a direct result of Medicare’s coverage determinations.

According to Vradenburg, the product is being taken off the market because individuals are unable to pay for it themselves and Medicare does not provide coverage. This is unfortunate.

Nathaniel Chin, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, was not taken aback by the recent developments, considering the other treatments also being introduced.

According to Chin, regardless of one’s stance on [Aduhelm], it brought attention to Alzheimer’s disease and highlighted the importance of early detection.

It is crucial to prioritize diversity and accessibility for rural regions.

According to advocates for Alzheimer’s disease, pharmaceutical companies are prioritizing inclusivity in their trials for treatment. However, there is a need to expand efforts to include participants from a variety of locations, rather than just urban areas.

Vradenburg stated that a major issue is the inaccessibility of many academic sites in urban areas for minority populations living in rural areas.