Biogen's Aduhelm Alzheimer's Drug Will Likely Be a Big Money-Maker
for the pharmaceutical company. However, will it really be useful to Alzheimer's patients? That's not clear at all. In fact, there is not much evidence that it will have any serious beneficial effect on that devastating disease.
Even so, the FDA has approved its use, despite the extraordinarily high cost of the drug. The potential for profit for Biogen may far exceed the drug's benefit to patients.
But, here's the thing: Families of Alzheimer's sufferers will do just about anything that has any hope of helping their stricken family members. I have seen that in my own family. My mother and now my sister have suffered from Alzheimer's disease. It was listed as the primary cause of my mother's death at age 96.
My father was devastated by her illness. It took his beloved wife of 75 years, even her recognition of him near the end. Since I spoke to my father daily by telephone, I knew just how difficult all this was for him. I can't tell you how many times he asked me about treatments he had read about somewhere, most of them OTC medications that had no beneficial effect at all. He pestered my mother's doctor about every news story that promised help for the disease, as well. Her doctor prescribed several things, none of which did any good at all. My father bought some of the OTC medications, as well. Again, no effect was apparent.
My father died an hour after my mother did. He constantly said that he did not want to die before her, because he was afraid she wouldn't be cared for properly. Sadly, he got his wish. He contracted COVID-19 and died in the hospital shortly after she died at home in hospice care. I took both phone calls about their deaths on the same day.
I can tell you this: Had this new drug been available, he would have insisted that my mother receive it. He would have spent any amount of money in the hope that it might help. Any amount. He would have gleefully bankrupted himself to do so.
He's not alone. Now that the FDA has approved Biogen's entry into the pharmaceutical treatment of Alzheimer's, relatives of those who have the disease will demand it of doctors, whether it is really useful or not, and doctors will prescribe it. Families will pay whatever it costs, even if it is not shown to prolong life or restore patients to health. They simply will pay.
Will it be useful? We have no idea. Biogen has no idea. After a time, enough people will pay for the drug to discover whether it really helps or not. That is not yet known. All that is known is that it does reduce the plaque formation associated with the illness. It is not known whether that will actually benefit those with the disease.
Biogen will reap billions in profits. That much is known. Families will bankrupt themselves to make sure that their relatives get the drug. Medicare will pay, but the families will also pay. Many families will not be able to pay for their share without suffering economic disaster. They will pay anyhow.
If it proves not to reverse the disease or materially slow its progression, will that money be refunded? No. It will not.
But, relatives of Alzheimer's patients will demand the drug. The disease is so devastating that they will do anything to try to help those who suffer.
I believe the FDA's approval of Aduhelm is premature. I do not believe it will be effective for diagnosed Alzheimer's patients in any significant way. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it very much.