A game-changer in Alzheimer’s, Diet Coke and cancer, and more

July 9, 2023 Check out STAT+

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By Torie Bosch Editor, First Opinion

In this short week, First Opinion offered some thoughtful fireworks. Immediately after the FDA approved Leqembi, Howard Fillit of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation argued that the medical system needs better, more accessible biomarkers for Alzheimer's now. Sen. Bill Cassidy of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee offers some practical solutions to high drug prices. An epidemiologist has good news for those of us concerned about Diet Coke, aspartame, and cancer (though I'm a Diet Pepsi partisan myself). And much more. Got an idea for First Opinion? How about some thoughts on it? Email me: first.opinion@statnews.com.

Adobe We finally have new Alzheimer's drugs. How do we decide who gets them? If we're going to have better drugs like Leqembi to treat Alzheimer's, we need better, more accessible biomarkers to diagnose it, too. By Howard M. Fillit Listen: Is the medical system ready for Alzheimer's drugs that work? Eisai's Leqembi, if fully approved by the FDA as expected, will challenge an Alzheimer's care system that is already short on resources. By Torie Bosch Why the aspartame in Diet Coke and Coke Zero probably isn't worth worrying about Good news for people who enjoy Diet Coke: The evidence for aspartame causing cancer really isn't that compelling. By Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz Araya Doheny/Getty Images for SEIU California should become the first state to offer a special minimum wage to health care workers A bill would provide a much needed and deserved income boost for health care workers from nurses to janitors. By Andrea Flynn and Yvonne Yen Liu Sen. Bill Cassidy: Smart, practical ways to lower drug prices Congress can reduce drug prices without stifling innovation by tackling PBMs, 340B, "parking," the Orphan Drug Act, and more. By Bill Cassidy Biden promised a 'war on cancer' — but declared war on the cure instead These policies "will harm our ability to develop new treatments for a whole host of diseases," writes PhRMA CEO and President Steve Ubl. By Stephen J. Ubl Adobe Pharma can't let Big Tech win the race for medical AI Pharma must win in the race to power health care's AI-enabled future or lose out to big tech. Prescription digital therapeutics are the key. By David Benshoof Klein

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