New Delhi, 6 November (IANS). Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease is important for better treatment. A report says that blood-based tests are proving to be very helpful in this.
The report by data and analytics company GlobalData suggests affordable alternatives to PET scans and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.
More than 55 million people globally currently suffer from Alzheimer’s, and cases are projected to triple by 2050.
Advances in disease detection methods
The development of cost-effective non-invasive early detection methods may help in timely treatment of this disease that affects the nervous system. However, the report said questions still remain about the actual impact of treatment on outcomes.
Ashley Clark, senior medical analyst at GlobalData, said affordable and effective blood-based biomarker testing has played an important role in earlier detection of conditions such as heart attacks.
“Reliable and accessible testing could detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier, giving patients more time to begin treatment and make lifestyle changes,” Clark said.
According to GlobalData’s Pipeline Product Database, more than 150 in vitro diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease are currently in development. However, the US drug regulator USFDA has not yet given full approval to blood-based Alzheimer’s tests.
“Blood-based tests with high negative predictive values can serve as reliable screening tools,” Clark said. This could help reserve hospital resources for procedures like PET scans for patients who need it most.
At least five methods of testing are in the pipeline, awaiting approval from regulators in the US and Europe, GlobalData reports. Despite this, ethical and regulatory challenges remain.
These tests raise concerns about the possibility of insurance companies changing premiums based on test results.
–IANS
MKS/AKJ