Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials: What You Need to Know

Alzheimer’s disease is the top neurodegenerative disorder in the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 5.8 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s in the United States. Twenty-one percent of Black Americans over the age of 70 have Alzheimer’s disease and older Black Americans are twice as likely as their white counterparts, to have Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.    “Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive neurological disorder that gradually damages the brain, leading to memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with thinking and daily activities,” Shardae Showell, PhD., explained to BlackDoctor.org.  Showell, the Associate Director, of Clinical Development, Alzheimer’s at Biogen said that their goal at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference was to present new data that would foster a dialogue within the community in support of “enhancing the inclusion of underrepresented populations in Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials.” What are Clinical Trials?  Clinical trial research is imperative to developing new treatments for diseases as they supply crucial data necessary for drug and treatment approval. They allow eligible patients to receive treatments they otherwise would not be able to access.  Clinical trials progress in three main phases. Phase I trials...