Patients and doctors, not bureaucrats, should decide the best treatment options for themselves

Washington, DC (July 26, 2024) — The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) on Friday recommended against the approval of Leqembi, a disease modifying drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer’s for people in the early stages of the disease. Leqembi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2023. Japan, China, Hong Kong, Israel, and South Korea have also approved Leqembi, indicating the recommendation by the CHMP is an outlier. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s chair and co-founder George Vradenburg issued the following statement in response to CHMP’s recommendation:

“If the European Medicines Agency follows this committee’s recommendation, it will strip away the fundamental right for doctors and patients to work together to determine the best course of treatment on a case-by-case basis. That’s simply unacceptable. Patients and their doctors are best suited to make these decisions by evaluating the data in connection with each patient’s individual medical circumstances; they don’t need a government bureaucracy interfering with that deeply personal relationship. The European Medicines should reject this committee’s recommendation and follow the lead of other nations by approving this treatment that could help millions of Europeans who are in the fight of their lives.”

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About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is engaged in a relentless pursuit to end Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading killer in America. Our work centers on prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and equal access to treatments regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. To achieve our mission, we give voice to patients and caregivers while partnering with government, scientists, the private sector, and allied organizations -- the people who put the “Us” in UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.