Alzheimer's Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act introduced in Congress

SDianeL

Saw this and thought I would share. It's a start and hopefully will lead to much more. https://www.alz.org/news/2025/house-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-asap-act-alzheimers-screening

Michele P

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/74656/alzheimers-screening-and-prevention-asap-act-introduced-in-congress

This is definitely a start. However, the problem is that research funding has been drastically reduced. There are drugs that will never get out of clinical trials now before the drug company runs out of funds. This funding needs to be restored for there to be a chance for a cure.

harshedbuzz

A start.

Given that wait lists to see dementia specialist neurologists in my medically well served community is over 12-months because of a shortage of practitioners, I don't see the bottlenecks going away.

Also, I see nothing addressing the "P" of the acronym. Funding for research in this area, including the universities that train the people who do this critical work, has been cut drastically. This release is also from the Alzheimer's Association—

Statement on Trump Administration Proposed FY26 Budget

HB

Michele P

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/260012#Comment_260012

We are seeing the same situation where we live regarding getting an appointment with a neurologist. We were on a wait list at Mayo Clinic and after six months were told that they are not taking new patients. We finally got an appointment with a neurologist outside of Mayo after five months which we saw as a miracle! The problem is real.

harshedbuzz

@Michele P

I am glad you have able to get an appointment.

I think a big piece to this situation has been the roll-out of the new infusion medications. Previously, neurologists had a few oral medications to improve function for a time and often saw their patients once or twice a year to monitor. Now there are infusion medications that can preserve the earlier stages for several months for some. These medications require extensive testing and oversight to ensure safety which likely results in smaller numbers of patients who can be seen.

Additionally, many PWD who were in early stages, wanted to access the infusion treatments, and had been seen at smaller community practices, were referred into the regional memory clinics for treatment which has been a strain.

I put my mom on the waitlist at Penn Medicine's Memory Center in May 2014 and I'm still waiting. Eight months ago, I called and was told we were near the top. Mom's having some subtle changes in personality, executive function, critical thinking and her word-finding leaves me feeling as though I am trapped in a never-ending game of Charades. Her PCP did find Lyme Disease and she did improve quite a bit with treatment and she has ADHD which means her baseline for those things was just different.

Mom did get into a study at the Memory Center that is working to create a practical screening tools for PCPs. The grad student who administered the screening told us she did not have any red flags. Her own psychiatrist assures me she's fine as well, so I've decided not to pursue further testing at this point.

HB

Michele P

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/260193#Comment_260193

I wish you and your mother all the best. This journey is one long waiting game.