New Alzheimer’s Treatments Are Driving a Shift in Earlier Detection and Clinician Education Engagement
June 25, 2025 |
June is Brain and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month — a chance to examine real-world data that links new treatments to changing clinical behavior.
Authors: Katie Lucero, Chief Impact Officer, Medscape; Jonathan Chee, Principal Account Manager; Anna Druet, Senior Science Writer; Briana Kelly, Senior Healthcare Consultant; Alicia Sloughfy, Senior Healthcare Consultant; Evan Woodward, MD, Senior Clinical Product Manager
Part one of a two-part series. Up next: a whitepaper delving into disparities in treatment and screening.
For years, efforts to screen for Alzheimer’s disease have lagged behind clinical need. Though over 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, the disease often goes undiagnosed. Historically, a lack of treatment options have led to limited screening by providers, even though early diagnosis can offer substantial value for many patients. In 2017, the CDC reported that only 47% of primary care physicians included cognitive assessment as part of their standard protocol for adults age 65 and older. For many families, a diagnosis still tends to come late in the disease progression. Yet early detection can provide access to support services, time to plan, and more informed care decisions.
This analysis marks the first part of a two-part series; a white paper delving into disparities in treatment and screening will be published in early fall.
New Therapies, New Incentives to Screen
The inertia may be shifting with the introduction of new treatment options. The 2023 FDA approval of lecanemab (Leqembi) — an anti-amyloid therapy (AAT) and the first approved treatment shown to reduce the rate of disease progression for early Alzheimer’s — marked a turning point. This was followed by Donanemab (Kisunla), which received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation in 2024. Together, these therapies represent a new clinical pathway for slowing disease progression.
To understand how care is evolving in response to these approvals, we analyzed national screening trends surrounding the 2023 launch of lecanemabi. Using our MapLab® platform and our Healthcare Map® which tracks the journeys of more than 330 million U.S. patients, we assessed screening rates in the 18 months before and after July 2023. Additionally, we leveraged Medscape Education’s proprietary platform, PULSE — which reaches 95% of validated NPIs — to examine provider engagement between January 2022 and July 2024.
Among patients age 65 and older in the 18 months before and after the second DMT approval:
- Cognitive screening rose by 10%. These structured assessments support early diagnosis and help distinguish Alzheimer’s from other causes of cognitive decline
- Gene and protein biomarker testing increased by 23%. In the same cohort and timeline, more individual patients received tests like APOE genotype and plasma p-tau. While not required for treatment eligibility, these tests help clinicians assess risk and monitor disease progression, reflecting a broader move toward precision medicine
- Amyloid beta pathology testing surged more than 13-fold. In the same cohort and timeline, a far greater number of patients underwent confirmatory testing via PET imaging or cerebrospinal fluid analysis — now a prerequisite for accessing new therapies — signaling a rising demand for DMT
Impact of Clinician Education on Screening
To evaluate how new treatment approvals influence clinician knowledge and education-seeking behavior, we matched 80% of Medscape-registered clinicians who screen, diagnose, and treat Alzheimer’s with Komodo’s Healthcare Map®. These clinicians were responsible for the care of 91% of patients in the Komodo cohort.
We examined clinician content consumption, knowledge scores, and confidence ratings in the 18 months before and after the second DMT approval. Among the nearly 800,000 healthcare professionals identified as involved in the Alzheimer’s patient journey:
- Consumption of Alzheimer’s-specific independent medical education (IME) increased by 18% among clinicians involved in the Alzheimer’s journey post-approval. In contrast, those not involved in Alzheimer’s care showed a 6% increase
- Screening knowledge showed a 92% relative improvement post-approval. Clinicians scored 26% on screening-related questions pre-approval, which rose to 50% in the 18 months post-approval. Following participation in IME, knowledge scores improved by an additional 26% relative to the post-approval baseline (from 50% to 63%). Knowledge scores reflect the percentage of correct responses on three multiple-choice questions about the topic of education
- Clinician confidence in screening rose from 2.58 to 3.07 (on a five-point scale) after IME participation in the 18 months post-approval — a 19% increase. Confidence was self-rated on a scale from 1 (not at all confident) to 5 (very confident) in screening for cognitive impairment
Turning Insights Into Action
Brain and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month highlights the urgent need for improved care, and real-world evidence will play a central role in tracking how new therapies reshape clinical practice. Komodo’s tools allow stakeholders to measure the real-time impact of drug launches, surface care gaps, and drive earlier intervention across all patient populations.
Ongoing clinician education will play a critical role as the standard of care continues to evolve. Recent research has found that independent learning platforms like Medscape Education, which offers timely updates on emerging therapies and changing diagnostic protocols, help providers stay current in a fast-moving landscape. Access to accurate, up-to-date information remains essential for informed decision-making in clinical practice, especially when it comes to recognizing, screening for, and treating early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
To explore more on screening through the lens of real-world evidence, see how disparities in diagnostic testing affect outcomes across diseases in our analysis of genetic testing gaps in ovarian cancer.
To see more articles like this, follow Komodo Health on X, LinkedIn, or YouTube, and visit Perspectives on their website.
About Medscape Education
Medscape Education is the leading online platform for continuing medical education (CME) and continuing education (CE), trusted by millions of healthcare professionals worldwide. With more than 30 speciality-specific learning destinations, it offers thousands of free, accredited courses for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. Medscape Education delivers high-impact, evidence-based education designed to support clinical decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and keep healthcare professionals current in a rapidly evolving medical landscape.
This content was provided by Medscape Education
Company Details
Latest Content from Medscape Education
The Mission to Humanize Healthcare
Medical and scientific innovation are in a fast lane closely pursued by digital advances but their dynamism can mute a vital element of progressive healthcare – patient integration.
Medscape Education Wins SILVER for Rare Disease Campaign
We are thrilled to announce that Medscape Education has been honored with the SILVER Award in the Patient Education Information division category by the 2025 National Health Information Awards! This...
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Robert Sidbury, MD, MPH
We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Dr. Robert Sidbury. Dr. Sidbury was a visionary in pediatric dermatology whose dedication to advancing patient care inspired clinicians, researchers, and...
Being Rare Together: Medscape Education Sponsors the 2025 Cholestatic Liver Disease Summit
Medscape Education is a proud sponsor of the inaugural 2025 Cholestatic Liver Disease Summit, taking place June 26–28 in Aurora, Colorado, at the Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center. Hosted in...
New Alzheimer’s Treatments Are Driving a Shift in Earlier Detection and Clinician Education Engagement
June is Brain and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month — a chance to examine real-world data that links new treatments to changing clinical behavior.
“Humanizing Healthcare, Humanizing Education: The Power of Patient Integration”
Victoria Harvey-Jones, PhD, Clinical Strategist (Oncology) and Worldwide Patient Integration Lead to Present at the 2025 Patient Centricity & Engagement Conference
Driving Impact in Diabetes Care: Medscape to Present 11 Publications at ADA’s 85th Scientific Sessions
Medscape Education is proud to present 11 publications at the American Diabetes Association 85th Scientific Sessions, taking place June 20–23 in Chicago. These presentations reflect our commitment to advancing diabetes care...
Medscape Education Celebrates 30 Years of Impact with Launch of The Center of Excellence for Instructional Design
Medscape Education, a global leader in healthcare education, proudly announces the official launch of its Center of Excellence for Instructional Design—a central hub of expertise and strategic capability, dedicated to...
Medscape at the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions: Your Sweet Spot for Innovation!
The American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions is almost here, and Medscape is ready to make an impact in the world of diabetes care! With two groundbreaking symposia, 11 dynamic...
Sharing Educational Outcomes at EHA 2025
Medscape Hematology will be at EHA 2025 to showcase the power of education impact through online abstracts, posters, and 4 symposia.