Medicare Announces New Alzheimer's Drug Coverage Policy: Full Approval Required But Use Must Be Tracked

Medicare plans to cover new Alzheimer's drugs that receive full FDA approval but physicians must participate in registries to track how patients respond.
The plan was criticized by some advocates who wanted more access for early-stage Alzheimer's patients.
Medicare will only cover drugs with accelerated approval for patients participating in clinical trials.
Two new Alzheimer's drugs target amyloid plaque in the brain and are for people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.
Doctors prescribing the new Alzheimer's drugs will have to use a government registry to monitor how well the drugs work for patients in the real world.