Alzheimer’s “Breakthrough” Drugs Under Fire

A comprehensive Cochrane review has cast significant doubt on the effectiveness of a new wave of anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drugs, labeling their impact on cognitive decline as “trivial” at best.

By analyzing 17 clinical trials involving more than 20,000 patients, researchers concluded that the small statistical improvements seen in drugs like lecanemab and donanemab do not translate into noticeable benefits for patients or their caregivers.

Furthermore, the review highlighted serious safety concerns, noting increased instances of brain swelling and bleeding, alongside the high burden of frequent intravenous infusions and MRI monitoring.

While some experts and charities criticize the study for pooling data from failed older drugs with newer treatments, the findings have fueled a global debate over whether the high cost of these treatments is justified for public health systems like the UK’s NHS.