Most Americans with Alzheimer’s are still diagnosed far too late, even though the science to catch the disease earlier already exists.
George Vradenburg
Chairman and CEO, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease in America is approaching a tipping point. Today, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and this number is projected to nearly double by 2050. More than 75 million Americans report having a family member affected by the disease. Yet, despite decades of research and scientific progress, most people are still diagnosed far too late.
There is a growing gap between what science now makes possible and what patients actually experience. Closing that gap is one of the most urgent — and solvable — challenges in Alzheimer’s care.
What science now makes possible
For me, this isn’t just a policy issue on paper. In 2010, I co-founded UsAgainstAlzheimer’s because it claimed the lives of three generations of my family, and I cannot allow it to happen to my children and grandchildren. I have seen what happens when diagnosis comes too late and when families lose time they can never get back.
In recent years, advances in Alzheimer’s detection have transformed early diagnosis. Blood-based biomarkers and improved imaging now make it possible to identify signs of disease earlier than ever before, even before symptoms begin. For families like those I’ve known personally, that kind of insight can make the difference between being prepared and able to take action, rather than being caught off guard.
There are also validated cognitive assessment tools, such as those recognized by the National Institute on Aging, that help identify early signs of the disease and give patients and providers a clearer picture of brain health. Tools like BrainGuide, a free cognitive assessment resource by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, are helping bring early detection tools directly to individuals and families before crisis hits.
Where the system falls short
Too often, Alzheimer’s is diagnosed only after noticeable cognitive decline, missing a critical window when intervention could have the greatest impact. This is not because the science is lacking. It is because the system delivering the science to us has not caught up.
Primary care providers, who are often the first point of contact, frequently lack the time, training, or resources to incorporate early detection into routine visits. While Medicare covers an annual wellness visit that includes cognitive assessment, these screenings are typically brief and often fail to use more sensitive, validated tools such as comprehensive neuropsychological tests or blood-based biomarkers.
Scientific progress is moving quickly. Policy has not caught up.
How policy can catch up
The Concentrating on High-Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End (CHANGE) Act is a chance to close the gap between scientific progress and patient care as soon as possible. It would expand Medicare coverage for cognitive assessments and diagnostic testing, making earlier detection more accessible.
Early detection should not be a privilege reserved for those with access to specialized clinics. Brain health should be a standard part of healthcare, just like routine screenings for other serious conditions. A “check-up from the neck up” should be as common as a “check-up from the neck down.” We now have tools, but we need a system that ensures they reach the people who need them.
As I’ve learned personally and through the people who inspired this work, Alzheimer’s does not wait. Neither should any of us.
