US drug regulators failed to follow their own guidance and practices when they approved the controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, a congressional report said on Thursday. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/29/biogen-fda-alzheimers-aduhelm-congressional-report? The US food and drug administration’s (FDA) process of approval, it said, had been “rife with irregularities”, and the FDA’s interactions with maker Biogen had been “atypical”. The report […]
Alzheimer's disease
Potential new therapy for Alzheimer’s disease
In a packed San Francisco conference room last Tuesday, upbeat company representatives and scientists presented detailed clinical trial data on the first Alzheimer’s treatment shown to clearly, albeit modestly, slow the disease’s normal cognitive decline. The antibody therapy has buoyed a field marked by decades of failures. Now, it appears to be on the cusp […]
New COVID-19 strain poses serious reinfection risk; The latest health stories from around the world
Health experts across the globe are signalling alarm as they begin reporting that Omicron BA.5, the coronavirus strain that is currently outpacing other variants in infection and has become the dominant strain in the United States (US) and abroad, has the ability to reinfect people within weeks of contracting the virus. Andrew Robertson, the chief […]
Air pollution and dementia, an ominous link
According to an elongated study conducted at the University of Washington, air pollution raises the risks of dementia, lending fears that the bulk of India’s population could be rendered far more prone to developing the condition. The study used data from two long running datasets — one that began in the late 1970s charting air […]
New Alzheimer’s medication approved by FDA
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease — the first of its kind for twenty years. What does this mean for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease in India? Aducanumab, from the company Biogen, is a monoclonal antibody that aims to slow the gradual progression […]
Could COVID-19 lead to a greater dementia risk?
COVID-19, at least at a surface level, seems all but entirely disconnected from conditions such as dementia — besides its evident effect on those who suffer from the condition. However, could there be a link between the two conditions? Dementia is an umbrella term that encompasses a number of neurological conditions in which aspects of […]
Retinal scans and AI: Tools in fighting Alzheimer’s?
New research suggests retinal scans and artificial intelligence (AI) could play a part in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. The research – published in The British Journal of Ophthalmology – indicated that computer software using a novel form of AI “was able to successfully identify a group of patients who were known to have Alzheimer’s disease…the novel […]
Alzheimer’s disease: The view from India
Alzheimer’s disease is a significant public health crisis in India, one which afflicts millions. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia, “a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities” as explained by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO notes that […]