U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, has announced an update to the National Plan to combat Alzheimer's disease. The National Plan is a comprehensive initiative outlining how HHS and its stakeholders can lead in the development of treatments, research, care provision, support for people living with dementia and their caregivers, and action to mitigate risk factors.

According to an HHS news release, 2023 marked a significant milestone in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Research spearheaded by the National Institutes of Health resulted in the Federal Drug Administration's approval of a drug shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established an online registry where physicians can provide data on clinical diagnosis and adverse events for patients in the early stages of AD.

Becerra stated: "HHS is committed to supporting people suffering from Alzheimer’s and their loved ones. 2023 was a landmark year and we are proud of the dedication that has helped us take steps towards better understanding and tackling this cruel disease. We know we still have more work ahead, but I am more optimistic than ever that we will get to a better place."

The release further detailed that CMS's registry allows patients to seek treatment via Medicare. In return, CMS will collect data enabling them to make informed decisions about which patients benefit most from specific drugs. Last month, CMS also lifted a previous restriction limiting patients to one positron emission tomography (PET) beta-amyloid scan per lifetime. A PET scan is an imaging test using a radioactive drug called a tracer; it reveals both typical and atypical metabolic activity within tissues and organs.