A colleague and friend of mine wrote this about the drug, lecanemab (Leqembi), a drug I have not been supportive of either. I’m tired of pharmaceutical companies and many members of the medical community focusing on drugs and a potential cure, instead of care. Risk reduction has rightly become a major focus, which of course is important, but the thing most often still being ignored, or forgotten, is the lack of adequate care and human rights violations of those of us with dementia.

As we know from watching or reading things such as Dopesick, Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth and Your Consent is not Required, we have been more than conned, we’ve been harmed by pharmaceutical companies and the psychiatric community pushing their drugs.

Markku Kurkinen, PhD (NeuroActiva, Inc.), is a vocal critic of the clinical trial results and FDA approval of lecanemab (Leqembi) for Alzheimer’s disease. In his 2023 commentary in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Kurkinen argues that the drug is not appropriate for many patients due to limited efficacy and significant safety risks.

Key Points from Kurkinen’s Analysis:

1. Questionable Efficacy: Kurkinen argues that the reported 27% slowing of cognitive decline is misleading and that a more accurate estimate is 9.3%, which he considers clinically irrelevant.

2. Gender Differences: Based on his analysis of the Clarity AD trial data, Kurkinen argues that lecanemab did not significantly slow cognitive decline in women, despite women having a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.
APOE4 Risks: Kurkinen highlights that the drug may enhance cognitive decline in study participants who are homozygous for the APOE4 gene (carrying two copies), a high-risk group that represents a significant portion of Alzheimer’s patients.

3. Controversial Approval: He suggests that the FDA’s approval of lecanemab and aducanumab was not supported by sufficient evidence-based science.

4. Context on Lecanemab (Leqembi):
What it is: Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody that targets and removes amyloid-beta protofibrils from the brain.
Indication: It is approved for treating early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia).
Risks (ARIA): The drug is associated with amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which include brain swelling (ARIA-E) and brain bleeding (ARIA-H). These are more common in APOE4 carriers.

5. Approval Status: Despite criticisms, the FDA granted full approval for lecanemab in July 2023.
Kurkinen’s position represents a critical viewpoint regarding the amyloid-targeting approach to Alzheimer’s treatment.

Yes, I agree with him 100%!

#SomeonesGottaSayIt