‘Shattered’ by diagnosis

“You think you’re great one day and then the next day you think: ‘oh God, how do I do this again?'”

“I might be a bit further along with it [Alzheimer’s] that can be beneficial for me now,” he said.

Peter Duclos lives on Sydney’s northern beaches with family. Source: Supplied / Peter Duclos.

He also said the cost would be prohibitive for most people with Alzheimer’s.

The drug’s cost could be decreased if the government decides to subsidise it through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS); however, it has not placed donanemab (sold as Kisunla), a comparable Alzheimer’s drug approved earlier this year, on the scheme.

‘Well-deserved’ approval

He said lecanemab can extend people’s quality of life and autonomy by around six months, allowing people to keep doing everyday tasks like grocery shopping.

Early diagnosis and cost a barrier

Professor Michael Woodwood, the head of dementia research at Austin Health, and an honorary advisor to Dementia Australia, told SBS News the approval is “incredibly important.”

“It’s also important that the people still access all the other support services, the services of Dementia Australia, that they’re aware of brain health, which includes exercise, diet, social mental activity, reducing cigarette smoking, et cetera.”

A ‘new era’ for Alzheimer’s treatment worldwide

“Blood tests, biological drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, and prevention interventions are propelling care into entirely new and exciting territory. However, the old needs of patients will not disappear,” Professor Giovanni Frisoni from the University of Geneva said.