New Alzheimer's drugs show promise in slowing disease progression but concerns remain over access and side effects

Two new drugs, donanemab and lecanemab, have shown efficacy in slowing cognitive decline in early Alzheimer's patients by targeting amyloid brain plaques.
Both drugs demonstrated a slowing of disease progression of around 30-35% compared to placebo in clinical trials, with greater benefits for patients at earlier stages.
Serious potential side effects exist, including brain swelling and bleeding, and long-term safety data is still needed.
The high cost of the intravenous treatments may limit access, though Medicare will cover one drug with few restrictions.
More research is needed to determine if removing amyloid plaques can significantly change the course of Alzheimer's disease.