SAFETY EXPERT TROOPER STEVE, THIS IS NEWS 6 AT 09:00AM GETTING RESULTS.
>> BRIDGETT: LAST WEEK.
FEDERAL REGULATORS APPROVED
THE FIRST NEW DRUG FOR
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN NEARLY
20 YEARS. A BREAKTHROUGH IN
WHAT’S BECOME A GROWING PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS NATIONWIDE.
>> CANDACE: ALL TIMERS IS THE
6TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN
THE U.S. AND THE DISEASE IS
DEVASTATING FOR FAMILIES WHO
ARE EXPERIENCING THE
PROGRESSION OF MEMORY LOSS
AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S IS A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
COMMITTED TO PATIENT ADVOCACY,
CLICK ORLANDO DOT COM’S.
BRIANNA VOLZ RECENTLY CHATTED
WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE WOMEN’S NETWORK ABOUT THIS
GROUNDBREAKING STEP.
>> JULIE: HOW EXACTLY IN THE
SIMPLEST OF TERMS. DOES THIS
DRUG WORKS AND HOW IS IT
DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE’VE
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
ALZHEIMER’S. UP UNTIL THIS
POINT WHAT IT INTENDS TO DO IS
REALLY TARGET THE UNDERLYING
CAUSE OF ALZHEIMER’S, WHICH IS
PLAQUE AND IT’S DESIGNED TO
HELP PEOPLE IN THE EARLIEST
STAGES OF THE DISEASE. SO
PEOPLE THAT HAVE MILD
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT OR MCI,
WHICH IS THE EARLIEST AGE THAT
WE SEE THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING
TO REALLY BENEFIT THE MOST
FROM THIS PARTICULAR TREATMENT
THAT FDA REALLY IS MADE UP OF
THE VERY BEST SCIENTISTS IN
THE UNITED STATES AND THEY
HAVE DEEMED IT TO BE.
>> AFFECTIVE. THEY THINK THE
SIDE EFFECTS ARE MANAGEABLE
AND IT’S REALLY UP TO PEOPLE
AND THEIR PROVIDERS TO MAKE
THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THIS DRUG IS THE RIGHT ONE
FOR THAT. SO REALLY WHY IS THE
APPROVAL OF THIS DRUG. SUCH A
BIG DEAL. WHAT DOES IT MEAN
FOR THE ALZHEIMER’S COMMUNITY.
>> THIS APPROVAL IS HISTORIC
FOR SO MANY REASONS. FIRST OF
ALL, I WANT TO JUST SHARE SOME
DATA WITH YOU. 60% OF CASES OF
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. GO
UNRECOGNIZED. MOST THAT DO GET
DIAGNOSED, GET DIAGNOSED IN
THE LATE STAGES. SO LIKE LET’S
LET’S LET THAT SINK IN FOR A
MINUTE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
CANCER. IF 60% OF THE CASES
WERE DIAGNOSED IN STAGE 3
PEOPLE WOULD BE SCREAMING FROM
THE MOUNTAINTOPS THAT, YEAH,
WE’RE SOMEHOW ALLOWING THE ALL
SIMERS COMMUNITY TO SUFFER.
AND SO BECAUSE THIS TREATMENT
IS FOCUSED ON THE EARLIEST
STAGES. IT’S GOING TO FORCE US
TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS
EARLIER.
>> WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
WORRYING ABOUT THEIR MEMORY OR
THAT OF A LOVED ONE. AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES
TO FEEL EMPOWERED TO ASK
QUESTIONS OF THEIR DOCTOR TO
CHECK THEIR MEMORY. WE’VE
CREATED A TOOL THAT ALLOWS
PEOPLE TO DO THAT SO THAT THEY
DON’T HAVE TO SIT IN SILENCE
BUT ACTUALLY THEY CAN START
LEARNING ABOUT THEIR MEMORY
AND BRING THOSE QUESTIONS TO
THEIR PROVIDERS. SO I THINK
THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE COMING
OUT OF THE SHADOWS WITH
ALZHEIMER’S AND ACTUALLY START
TALKING ABOUT OUR BRAIN HEALTH
IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE TALK
ABOUT OUR HEART HEALTH. YOU
KNOW, AND CERTAINLY IN
FLORIDA, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW,
600,000 PEOPLE OVER 65 ARE
LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S. HALF
A MILLION FAMILY CAREGIVERS
ARE CARING FOR LOVED ONES IN
FLORIDA. AND WE KNOW THAT
THERE ARE MILLIONS MORE WHO
MIGHT BE SUFFERING AND NEED
SUPPORT. SO IT’S REALLY
RELEVANT.
>> JULIE: TO THE TIME THAT
WE’RE IN. WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO?
WHAT KIND OF CHECKS CAN THEY
DO TO SEE IF THEY ARE GOOD
CANDIDATES. THIS MEDICATION.
>> WELL, CERTAINLY WE
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ALWAYS
TALK TO THEIR DOCTOR IF THAT’S
NOT READILY AVAILABLE TO THEM
RIGHT NOW. PEOPLE CAN VISIT
OUR RESOURCE THAT WE’VE
CREATED MY BRAIN GUIDE DOT ORG
OR THEY CAN CALL 8, 5, 5,
BRAIN FOR 1, ONE, 272-4641.
>> AND THEY CAN TAKE A MEMORY
QUESTIONNAIRE. WHAT ARE SOME
OTHER THINGS THE ORGANIZATION
IS GOING TO BE DOING TO RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT THIS NEW
MEDICATION FOR ALSO SURVEYING
PEOPLE LIVING WITH THE DISEASE
AND THEIR CAREGIVERS TO
CONTINUE ASK THEM WHAT MATTERS
MOST TO THEM. YOU KNOW, THEY
TELL US THAT HAVING A FEW
YEARS BACK OF QUALITY OF LIFE
REALLY DOES MATTER. YOU KNOW,
HAVING INDEPENDENCE MAKES A
HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND SO WE
BRING THOSE MESSAGES UP ON
CAPITOL HILL AND WE TALKED
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO TRY TO
ADVOCATE FOR MORE RESEARCH
DOLLARS. WE’RE HOPING THAT
THIS APPROVAL IS ACTUALLY
GOING TO FUEL MORE AND MORE
INNOVATION HOW LONG WILL IT BE
UNTIL WE KNOW THAT IT’S DOING
WHAT? WE HOPE THAT IT’S GOING
TO DO. BUT I KNOW IT’S
SOMETHING THAT’S BEING
MONITORED CLOSELY AND
HOPEFULLY IT’S GOING TO BE
GETTING INTO THE HANDS OF
PEOPLE AS EARLY YOU KNOW THIS
MONTH IN JUNE WHICH IS
EXCITING TO SEE. AND I KNOW
THAT. YOU KNOW, SCIENTISTS
BIOGEN AND OTHERS ARE GOING TO
BE WATCHING IT CAREFULLY AND
THOUGHTFULLY TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT IS. IT IS INDEED HELPING
PEOPLE AND THEY CAN THEY CAN
SUPPORT AS MANY PEOPLE AS
POSSIBLE.
>> CANDACE: AND AS FAR AS SIDE
EFFECTS GO FROM THIS DRUG CAN
KENNY SAYS BASED ON WHAT
THEY’VE HEARD. THEY ARE
MANAGEABLE BUT ENCOURAGES
PEOPLE, OF COURSE, TO TALK TO
THEIR DOCTOR AND READ THE FDA