Conference Presentation, Panel
The Future of Brain Health
Milken InstituteMaxine Waters, Michael Clowden, Meg Terrell, Dr. Ruth Benka, Dr. Marie Bernard, Dr. Rod Hockman, Nora Super, Dr. Rudy Tanzi
- The Milken Institute Future of Health Summit is scheduled to convene over 1,000 participants and 200 speakers across two days to address biomedical innovation, food, sustainability, mental health, aging, and health financing.
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters anticipates bipartisan legislative cooperation on prescription drugs and the inclusion of more drugs in upcoming negotiation frameworks.
- Waters projects that securing a cure or effective management for Alzheimer's disease is critical to prevent economic collapse, noting that while significant funding is required, a cure is considered possible.
- The National Plan aims to deliver a cure or effective treatment for Alzheimer's by 2025, with Waters expecting to secure $2.65 billion in funding for the 2020 fiscal year.
- Waters forecasts that private industry will invest substantial capital into research independent of federal support and expects public education efforts to reach communities disconnected from the internet.
- Nora Super expects the Milken Institute report to provide actionable recommendations for reducing dementia costs and risk while training caregivers and creating communities more accepting of those living with dementia.
- Dr. Rudy Tanzi emphasizes early detection and intervention as vital strategies, predicting that drugs like aducanumab hitting amyloid plaque early show significant promise for staving off the disease.
- Tanzi estimates a high probability of aducanumab approval based on Phase 3 study improvements, which could facilitate the development of cheaper, safer oral medications targeting early amyloid.
- Dr. Rod Hockman asserts that current health systems are unprepared for neurodegenerative challenges and predicts a future shift where over 50% of care occurs at home or in ambulatory settings using digital technology.
- Hockman expects healthcare workforces to be redesigned with specific training for caregivers and hospitals to be restructured into smaller, lighter ambulatory settings to avoid hospitalization.
- Dr. Marie Bernard anticipates that increased federal funding will enable research into brain changes occurring long before symptoms appear, with a draft state of the science review on care models to be disseminated in March.
- Bernard expects the NIA's support of amyloid studies to spur the creation of more economically feasible and safer drugs, while noting that neurodegenerative disorders are multifactorial and require addressing more than single-pill solutions.
- Dr. Ruth Benka highlights the importance of sleep, stating that seven hours of sleep correlates with the lowest health risks and that manipulating sleep brainwave patterns to clear amyloid and tau proteins will be readily available.
- Benka notes that 20% to 40% of the older population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea causing brain hypoxemia and predicts that school start times of 8:30 a.m. or later will improve adolescent function and reduce mental health risks.
- Benka expects rising female participation in clinical trials to reveal insights into how hormones, particularly during perimenopause, influence brain health and dementia risk.
- Tanzi predicts that almost half of current trials focus on non-pharmacological interventions, with a new wave of studies over the next few years aiming to prove the efficacy of diet, exercise, and sleep.
- Tanzi cautions that while the 2025 goal for a "cure" may not be fully realized, the initiative is expected to achieve a significant impact on the disease.
- Phase 3 trials for neuroinflammatory drugs, such as aztherapies, are currently underway with promising candidates emerging.
- Nora Super expects innovative CMS payment models, such as compensating paramedics for home stabilization, to save system money and support families.
- The Milken Institute remains committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and aims to guide public direction toward improved brain health through its upcoming report.