Navigating the Alzheimer Disease Blood Test Revolution

On this week’s episode of Managed Care Cast, we're discussing a significant advancement in health care: the May 16 FDA approval of the first blood test to diagnose Alzheimer disease. This landmark approval marks a shift in how Alzheimer disease is identified, moving away from more traditional methods, like brain scans, or invasive methods, like spinal taps.

The Lumipulse test from Fujirebio Diagnostics measures 2 proteins found in blood plasma, with their ratio helping physicians understand the risk of cognitive symptoms being caused by Alzheimer pathology. Our guests, Howard Fillit, MD, cofounder and chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and Anthony “Nino” Sireci, MD, MSc, senior vice president, clinical biomarker and diagnostics development, Eli Lilly and Company, will help us understand what they call a “huge accomplishment.”

With validation data showing over 91% concordance with traditional amyloid plaque detection, the blood test is more affordable, less invasive, and more accessible, which could revolutionize diagnosis and treatment accessibility and transform the diagnostic landscape from one of helplessness to one of hope and early intervention.

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