USA2 SPOTLIGHT

(Subscription required) A May 15, 2017 STAT article focused on the push for the FDA to revamp their regulatory requirements for the approval of new Alzheimer’s disease drugs. A paper authored by researchers and patient advocates makes the case. According to George Vradenburg, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Founder and paper co-author, “We need early cognition improvements as an endpoint, so FDA can review drugs that are being introduced to patients earlier in the disease.” The Trump administration has advocated for the idea of loosening regulatory standards to get treatments to patients faster, and the new FDA commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, has expressed interest in revamping the clinical trial process. Also covered by: Drug Discovery and Development and Radiology Business.

MUST READS

A May 14, 2017 Chicago Tribune segment and article spotlighted the story of Pamela Childress, whose mom passed away from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2001. The author, Denise Crosby, featured their story in her column 20 years ago. Pamela’s son, Terron, began the MaeBell Ward Foundation in 2011 in his grandmother’s honor.

A May 12, 2017 The New York Times article reported on implications stemming from the FDA’s approval of 23andMe’s genetic tests, which reveal whether people have the ApoE4 gene, which is tied to Alzheimer’s risk. The long-term care insurance business is concerned, as it is up to customer discretion whether or not they reveal such test results. “There is a question about whether the industry is in a death spiral anyway,” said Robert Hunter, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America. “This could make it worse.”

According to a May 12, 2017 Medical News Bulletin article, Bryostatin-1, an up-and-coming drug which has been already tested for cancer and HIV/AIDS, is being analyzed for its ability to treat Alzheimer’s disease. It is a kinase C(PKC) modulator, a group of proteins involved in signal transduction cascades within the cell in response to stimuli from the environment. Its functions include regulating transcription, mediating immune responses, and regulating cell growth.

MUST LISTEN

A May 14, 2017 The Guardian “Science Weekly” podcast explores the search for an Alzheimer’s cure and why, more than 100 years after its discovery, AD is so hard to cure. To probe this question, Ian Sample is joined by Dr. David Reynolds, Chief Scientific Officer (Alzheimer’s Research UK), Professor Roger Morris, Molecular Neurobiologist (King’s College London), and Professor Giovanna Mallucci (University of Cambridge).

DISPARITIES SPOTLIGHT

A May 12, 2017 Lexington Herald Leader article spotlighted “Memory Sunday,” from the Virginia-based nonprofit, Balm in Gilead, part of a national campaign aimed at getting black churches involved in Alzheimer’s education and research. The ultimate goal is to get more African-Americans signed up to participate in AD clinical research. Pernessa Seele founded Balm in Gilead to mobilize black churches in the fight against AIDS and is now turning to AD. “Alzheimer’s is a heavy burden within the African-American community,” Seele said. “We don’t know that African-American women have the highest rate of Alzheimer’s in the country. We just know that Mama got it. We have a lot of work to do. We have to use our pulpit to educate the masses on this disease.”

POLITICAL INSIGHTS

A May 12, 2017 The Hill opinion piece by Rep. Kathy Castor says the Senate should scrap the American Health Care Act (AHCA) bill, and work on the Affordable Care act to strengthen healthcare coverage and the economic wellbeing of American families. The AHCA takes away coverage from at least 24 million, raises costs, imposes taxes and “steals from Medicare and socks it to Alzheimer’s patients, children with complex conditions and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid… Families who rely on nursing home care, have a family member with a disability, a child with a complex medical condition or a child from a working class family who needs basic care will be hurt by the AHCA… Families who rely on skilled nursing and assisted living for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or a disability will be critically harmed."