Alzheimer's, Medicare, and Medicare on Life Support

Jan Schenk Grosskopf
Jul 14, 2023
2 min read

Remember Aduhelm? The Alzheimer’s drug that raised Medicare recipients’ monthly premium, but which, thankfully, patients never got. And they never got their money back, either. Joe admitted that no one on his staff or in all of Washington D.C. had the mathematical skills to repay Medicare recipients’ advance payments. Chris Murphy couldn’t be bothered to take a stand; he wasn’t up for reelection at the time. 1,2

What’s going on now? Enter the new “ Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, amid concerns about its safety, cost and accessibility.” All these worrisome details for a drug that “appeared to slow a patient's decline for about five months . . . Dr. Alberto Espay, a neurologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said that the 27% slowing in the progression of the illness falls below the threshold of what would be "noticeable" to a patient. The odds for brain swelling and hemorrhage are far higher than any actual improvement,” said Espay . . .” 3

12.6% of patients suffered brain swelling and 17% developed brain bleeds; much higher rates that human Guinea pigs taking a placebo and much like the side effects of Aduhelm. All for a drug that has “potentially life-threatening side effects . . . [that leaves patients} . . .a little wary . . . and I think rightfully so." 4 5

Who has a noticeable improvement with Leqembi? Well, at $26,500.00 for a year of weekly infusions at taxpayers’ expense, investors’ profits from Biogen and Eisai, a Japanese company, will swell for sure. 6

And what did Joe Courtney say about the economic IV line running from the American taxpayers’ pockets to Biogen and Eisai? Take a guess. Yep. Nothing as of today. Chris Murphy? According to search results today on his website, he has made three comments about Alzheimer’s. The last one was in 2020. It’s pretty clear who those two really care about.