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(Journalist)
– It’s Here: The first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease is now on sale in the United States. It has not been approved by the FDA; the AP reports that it is instead sold under “more general rules for commercial laboratories”. Even so, it could fill a huge gap in the diagnostic journey for someone with cognitive decline. There are many things that can be the cause, and in order to determine if Alzheimer’s disease is to blame, a person needs to show symptoms along with the buildup of a certain protein in the brain. Currently, the best way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is to measure the protein through a PET brain scan – a diagnostic tool not available to most people because it is usually not available. not covered by insurance and can cost around $ 5,000. This means that many people can be left without answers.
The blood test, developed by C2N Diagnostics in St. Louis, is also not covered by insurance or Medicare, but its cost of $ 1,250 can be reduced depending on income. It is only intended for people over 60 who are already being assessed for Alzheimer’s disease. Although the disease cannot be cured, earlier diagnosis can lead to treatments that prolong patients’ ability to function independently, reports Axios. “You can’t treat disease without being able to diagnose it,” one researcher said over the summer. “And accurate, inexpensive diagnosis is really exciting, so it’s a breakthrough.” However, some researchers are concerned that no data has yet been published on the accuracy of the test. (Read more stories about Alzheimer’s disease.)
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