Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and the tyranny of treatment
October 3, 2024
IMPACT Ethics and Regulation Core leader, Jason Karlawish, MD, and Joshua Grill, PhD, reflect on the advances in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment and the implications these advances have for people living with the disease.
Authors describe emerging diagnostic biomarkers and disease-targeting treatments as holding promise for Alzheimer’s care but reflect that the current application of diagnostic tools, like amyloid imaging, prioritizes treatment development over patient needs. This approach limits patient and family access to essential information that helps them transition from diagnosis to active disease management. The authors challenge this approach, calling it the “tyranny of treatment” and urge for a shift toward patient-centered care that values both diagnosis and prognosis.
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