Neurologists must make sure Alzheimer’s patients and their families understand that the controversial drug aducanumab does not restore mental function, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) said in new position statement that includes ethical guidelines.
“Aducanumab is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, yet since it has been approved by the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], patients are asking their doctors if this is an option for them,” said statement author Dr. Winston Chiong, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco and member of the AAN’s Ethics, Law and Humanities Committee.
“This is a high-cost drug that was approved by the FDA without convincing…
