Dr. Laura O'Philbin:

We have two credible treatment options for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. They are not yet approved by the European Medicines Agency. One is lecanemab and the other is donanemab. These are immunotherapies that are said to slow down or delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Lecanemab is currently under consideration by the European Medicines Agency and we expect a decision on that in a matter of months as to whether it will be approved in Europe. I need to stress to everyone that these treatments are exciting and they are first-generation drugs. The hope is that we can build on them and have a suite of options for people in the future. However, they are not cures and they are only suitable for a small number of people. They are not perfect and they have side effects. While we are thinking about and certainly need to prepare for this new era and new pipeline of dementia-related drugs and therapies, we also need to continue investing in and supporting people through services and supports.