News outlets: In your coverage of the historic FDA approval of aducanumab, the first drug approved for disease modification of Alzheimer’s Disease, not just treatment of symptoms, please consider speaking with University of Maryland Medical Center neurologist Dr. Julia Biernot. As a specialist in memory and cognitive disorders, she has closely studied the two clinical trials and data for the Biogen drug and is a knowledgeable source on its potential benefits and risk.
As a practicing neurologist, she also understands the emotionally charged debate around aducanumab. From the moment they are diagnosed, Alzheimer’s patients are in a race against time before the disease eventually takes over. From this perspective, Dr. Biernot can also speak to why she would prescribe aducanumab to patients under certain circumstances, while making sure they are aware of the potential risk and the associated higher medical costs of managing that risk, such as regular screening for edema (brain swelling).
A brief bio of Dr. Biernot is available here: https://www.umms.org/find-a-doctor/profiles/dr-julia-m-biernot-md-1700034113
Interested in interviewing Dr. Biernot for expert commentary? The debate around this drug is revealing a number of misconceptions about Alzheimer’s Disease and treatment availability, which Dr. Biernot can also clear up.
