Anonymousabout 20 hours ago
A Cochrane systematic review published on April 16, 2026, analyzing 17 trials with 20,342 participants, concluded that anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies — including the FDA-approved lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla) — produce "absent or trivial" effects on cognitive decline while causing brain swelling or micro-bleeds in a substantial share of patients. The finding reignites debate over FDA approval standards, Medicare spending projected at roughly $3.5 billion in 2025, financial conflicts among advisory committee members, and whether the amyloid hypothesis still deserves its dominant place in Alzheimer's drug development. Defenders argue the review wrongly pools failed drugs with approved ones and obscures subgroup benefits, particularly among APOE ε4 non-carriers and heterozygotes.