The CMS decision to limit coverage of a controversial new Alzheimer's drug was a "triumph of the scientific process," Arthur Caplan, PhD, who directs the medical ethics division of NYU Grossman's School of Medicine, said in an April 10 Washington Post opinion piece.
CMS is restricting coverage of Biogen's Aduhelm to those participating in a qualifying clinical trial.
Dr. Caplan said that Aduhelm has not been proven effective at combating Alzheimer's. With full Medicare coverage, hundreds of billions of dollars could be spent annually on a drug that may not work, he said.
He was one of nine members of the 17-person Alliance for Aging Research scientific advisory board who resigned after the advocacy group lobbied against a Medicare proposal to restrict coverage of Aduhelm.
"In the era of emergency use authorizations, online testimonials promoted by patient groups and the expectations established by Operation Warp Speed, asking for strong evidence before stocking new agents in pharmacies can seem cruel, obstinate or outmoded," he wrote in the piece. "But unless we are willing to let hope and lobbying drive access to new drugs, we need to recommit to demanding strong evidence for approval. Otherwise, we will end up paying fortunes for ballyhoo."