ROANOKE, Va. – For the first time in history, there’s a treatment for Alzheimer’s.
The FDA approved the infusion drug Leqembi for people in the early stages of the disease.
It’s not a cure, but for the nearly seven million people living with Alzheimer’s and their caretakers, it’s a step in the right direction.
“The process of watching her disappear in the last ten years of her life, I would say is the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced,” said Margie Shaver, Alzheimer’s advocate.
Shaver knows the heartbreak of Alzheimer’s all too well.
Her grandmother, two aunts and her mother all died of the disease.
“I think about sometimes what her life would have been like, what she would have done, and the things she would have been able to do had she not had Alzheimer’s,” Shaver said.
For the first time in history, the FDA has approved a drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s — something Shaver has waited and advocated for over 20 years.
“It is a first step,” Shaver said. “It may not be perfect yet. I’m sure it’s not, but it is a huge first step.”
A catch to this drug is the price tag — $26,000 a year.
But Dean Brenner, a member of the National Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association, said there is hope for people who can’t afford it.
“In conjunction with the approval of the drug by the FDA, Medicare said in fact that they will pay for it, provided of course that you’re eligible,” Brenner said.
Brenner said it’s crucial for private insurance companies to follow suit, so people with early-onset Alzheimer’s can access it.
“It changes everything about Alzheimer’s,” Brenner said.
Brenner and Shaver agree — with this disease, time is everything.
“Heck, one week of being without Alzheimer’s would be worth having that drug,” Shaver said.
“More time. More time with your loved ones. More time before this horrible disease gets worse,” Brenner said.
Shaver’s hope? That this is the first step in a long-awaited cure.
“There is so much hope for this. And I truly believe that in my lifetime I will see a cure for Alzheimer’s,” Shaver said.
Leqembi was just approved, so it’s still in the early stages of being rolled out.
But, if you have questions about if you or your family members are eligible for the drug, talk to your doctor.