Democrats blast Biden administration over Alzheimer’s drug plans

By Rachel Cohrs June 7, 2023 WASHINGTON — Ahead of a major Food and Drug

By Rachel Cohrs June 7, 2023

WASHINGTON — Ahead of a major Food and Drug Administration meeting on a new Alzheimer's treatment this week, several Democratic lawmakers are ratcheting up their criticism of how the Biden administration is planning to handle a potential approval this summer.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who leads the Senate's health committee, wrote to health secretary Xavier Becerra on Wednesday asking him to "use the full extent" of his authority to ensure Medicare doesn't pay the list price of $26,500 for Eisai and Biogen's Leqembi.

"Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. We must do everything possible to find a cure for the millions of people who suffer from it. But we cannot allow pharmaceutical companies to bankrupt Medicare and our federal government in the process," Sanders wrote.

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Washington Correspondent

Rachel Cohrs reports on the intersection of politics and health policy.

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Democrats blast Biden administration over Alzheimer’s drug plans