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
Sex, Gender, and the Brain: The Women’s Brain Foundation and Medscape Education Announce Groundbreaking Learning Centre
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Women’s Brain Foundation (WBF), the global pioneer that has advanced the inclusion of sex- and gender-based evidence-generation in all research, drug development, and healthcare since 2017; and Medscape...
Cultivating Interest in Infectious Disease Education at ID Week 2024
IDWeek starts tomorrow, October 16, and Medscape is bringing outcomes and education! We are excited to announce Medscape is presenting six posters that highlight the significant impact of our educational...
Medscape Education Breathes Life Into Pulmonology: Showcasing Success at CHEST 2024
Medscape Education showcases its strong track record in providing high-quality education in the field of pulmonology at the annual conference of the American College of Chest Physicians in Boston, Massachusetts,...
Successful Education at ESC
With World Heart Day just having passed (29th September), Medscape wants to take the opportunity to look back and recap what was accomplished at ESC 2024. At this year’s event,...
How women are revolutionising rare disease
Women have played a crucial role in rare disease awareness and better care, overcoming gender biases and systemic challenges to drive progress in this often-overlooked field.
Gaps in obesity care and education
Yesterday marked World Heart Day, and Medscape is at the forefront with a featured article in Media Planet's cardiology campaign highlighting gaps in obesity care and education. This important piece...
Realizing the Potential of Virtual Patient Simulation With Real-World Outcomes
We're celebrating Healthcare Simulation Week 2024 by highlighting the transformative power of our multi-award-winning medical simulation programs, which have proven impact in delivering significant improvements in clinical skills and outcomes....
Reaching Young Professionals at HFSA ASM 2024
HFSA will kick off at the end of September, and Medscape is proud to support the careers of young clinicians through the sponsorship of the Professionals in Training Lounge. “Providing...
Medscape Education and Comprehensive Medical Mentoring Program Partner to Empower the Next Generation in Dermatology
In a significant stride toward fostering diversity and inclusivity in dermatology, Medscape Education and the Comprehensive Medical Mentoring Program (CMMP) have established a unique alliance to address critical gaps in...
Making at Impact at the Alliance Industry Summit
The Medscape team will be returning to the Alliance Industry Summit in Philadelphia this year, bringing with them Best in Class Outcomes and support for the event. As part of...