To the Editor: The socio‐economic modelling of the impact of a hypothetical disease‐modifying treatment (DMT) for Alzheimer disease by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM)1 is an interesting contribution to what is a critical question for policymakers: how effective does a new antidementia treatment need to be to justify a given cost to the community?
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- 1. Brown LJ, Li J, La HA. The economic and societal cost of Alzheimer’s disease in Australia, 2021–2041. Canberra: National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra; 2022. https://www.governanceinstitute.edu.au/magma/media/upload/media/1096_Final_Online‐Cost‐of‐AD‐Dementia‐in‐Australia‐Report.pdf (viewed Apr 2022).
- 2. Vermunt L, Sikkes SAM, van den Hout A, et al. Duration of preclinical, prodromal, and dementia stages of Alzheimer’s disease in relation to age, sex, and APOE genotype. Alzheimers Dement 2019; 15: 888‐898.
- 3. Alexander GC, Emerson S, Kesselheim AS. Evaluation of aducanumab for Alzheimer disease: scientific evidence and regulatory review involving efficacy, safety, and futility. JAMA 2021; 325: 1717‐1718.
- 4. Lin GA, Whittington MD, Synnott PG, et al. Aducanumab for Alzheimer’s disease: effectiveness and value — final evidence report. Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, 2021. https://icer.org/wp‐content/uploads/2020/10/ICER_ALZ_Final_Report_080521.pdf (viewed Apr 2022).
- 5. Salloway S, Chalkias S, Barkhof F, et al. Amyloid‐related imaging abnormalities in 2 phase 3 studies evaluating aducanumab in patients with early Alzheimer disease. JAMA Neurol 2022; 79: 13‐21.
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I am scientific co‐founder of Skin2Neuron, and have a financial interest in this biotech company that is developing a novel approach to treating Alzheimer disease. I was a paid senior consultant to the World Health Organization in the area of healthy ageing and cognition. I am the primary inventor of several patents related to a novel form of cell therapy with potential for application to Alzheimer disease and other neurological conditions.