Letter to the editor: People with Alzheimer's should have access to treatments

As a caregiver and advocate, access to treatments that can change the course of the disease in a meaningful way for people like my grandfather and the residents I cared for is incredibly important to me. On Jan. 6, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lecanemab, now known as Leqembi, using the accelerated approval pathway, but months later, despite unequivocal evidence confirmed by the scientific community, bipartisan support from 94 members of Congress, and urgent requests directly from those living with and caring for those with Alzheimer’s, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is still refusing to change its decision and stop blocking access to FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatments. My grandfather passed before this treatment was created, and Leqembi would have allowed us to rewrite his story.

Every FDA-approved drug is covered by Medicare, except for Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on CMS to change its decision. Please join me in urging Reps. Summer Lee and Chris Deluzio to demand CMS take action to ensure individuals living with Alzheimer’s have equitable access to FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatments. To learn more about how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit alzimpact.org.

Alexandra Borelli

Lincoln Place

The writer is an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter.