Medicare has decided once and for all not to pay for Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm unless patients are enrolled in a clinical study.
The agency’s final call was unsurprising, but blessedly rational. It corrects the Food and Drug Administration’s mistake in letting Aduhelm onto the market. At the same time, it leaves room for future Alzheimer’s drugs to be covered — as long as studies show they are safe and effective.
This will encourage beneficial innovation in Alzheimer’s drug development, and ensure that patients get medicines that can truly help them.
