Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Approves Second Drug Aimed At Slowing Progression Of Alzheimer's
Eli Lilly鈥檚 early Alzheimer鈥檚 treatment was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, making it the second drug on the U.S. market aimed at slowing progression of the debilitating neurological disease. (Chen and Herper, 7/2)
Until recently, Alzheimer鈥檚 treatment was limited. Some patients diagnosed with the disease would take a pill to relieve symptoms. More wound up at facilities that provided care for them once they couldn鈥檛 take care of themselves. With drugs such as Lilly鈥檚 newly approved Kisunla coming online, Alzheimer鈥檚 treatment promises to slow the cognitive decline, if only modestly, and to become more widely used. (Loftus and Walker, 7/2)
Also 鈥
Black Americans have been underrepresented in most genomic studies of neurological disorders. As a result of this disparity, there's a lot scientists don't know about whether African ancestry affects a person's risk for these disorders or their response to a particular treatment. ... Now, the first study to come out of the initiative finds that genes associated with African ancestry seem to affect some brain cells in ways that could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke. (Kwong, Hamilton and Carlson, 7/3)
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refuted speculation Tuesday that President Joe Biden is suffering from dementia. The question followed mounting panic in Democratic circles following Biden鈥檚 lackluster performance at the first presidential debate. His frequent looks of confusion and hoarse voice, Jean-Pierre said, should not be attributed to symptoms of dementia or degenerative illness. 鈥淚 have an answer for you, are you ready for it?鈥 she asked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no.鈥 (Walker, 7/2)
If you eat well now, you may live better later. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats in midlife can improve the chances of good mental, physical and cognitive health decades later, a new report shows. A study presented at a major nutrition conference Tuesday builds on years of research that a daily diet filled with highly nutritious foods can reduce the risk of developing common chronic diseases and help maintain cognitive functioning in older age. (Sudhakar, 7/3)