The government has approved the first drug specifically targeting dementia, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
The drug is a major breakthrough and the ministry would work with the National Health Insurance Administration to promote coverage of such drugs, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lue Jen-der (呂建德) said.
There would be more discussions in the coming months on which patients would be able to use the drug, said Hsu Wen-chuin (徐文俊), chairman of the Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association, which cohosted the news conference.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
Access to drugs makes a big difference, he said, adding that with more choices, more people would hopefully be willing to undergo early screening to help with diagnosis and intervention.
Current treatment of dementia is focused on treating its symptoms rather than the disease, but the newly approved drug treats dementia directly through intravenous injections, Hsu said.
It is targeted mainly at those with mild impairments, he added.
An 18-month drug clinical trial found that it could delay degeneration by five to seven months, but it is not suitable for asymptomatic or severe cases, he said.
It also has side effects such as bleeding, Hsu said, adding that Alzheimer’s patients with the ApoE 4/4 gene variant are particularly at risk of severe side effects.
Alzheimer’s accounts for 60 percent of dementia cases, and prior to using the drug, people must undergo testing to confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis and its severity, as well as genetic testing to confirm its specific markers, Hsu said.
A nationwide study on dementia and disability by the National Health Research Institutes from 2020 to last year found that for those aged 65 or above, the prevalence rate of dementia was 7.99 percent, Department of Long-Term Care head Chu Chien-fang (祝健芳) said.
About 360,000 people have been diagnosed with dementia nationwide, with 17 percent experiencing “extremely minor” symptoms and 34 percent experiencing “minor” symptoms.
President William Lai’s (賴清德) “Healthy Taiwan” policy is committed to reforming dementia care by establishing a unified service system, with a focus on improving accessibility, Lue said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion of dementia care resources has stagnated at about 500 facilities, failing to keep up with the growth in patient numbers, Chu said.
Starting next year, medical institutions that establish care facilities in their communities would receive expert advice and guidance to provide better care, Chu added.
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