Incubate Executive Director John Stanford Statement in Response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Devastating Final National Coverage Determination for Certain Alzheimer’s Treatments
See Executive Director John Stanford's statement on CMS' Final NCD on Alzheimer's disease and how this will affect the future of biopharmaceutical investment.
04.14.2022
WASHINGTON (April 14, 2022) – Incubate, a coalition of America’s early-stage life sciences investors, issued the following statement on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Final National Coverage Decision (NCD) on Certain Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease:
“On behalf of our network of stakeholders in the early-stage life sciences—spanning venture capitalists, investors, biotech companies, and patients—Incubate is deeply disappointed by CMS’ decision to severely restrict patient access to FDA-approved medicines for Alzheimer’s disease.
Despite our community’s warnings that the coverage decision could undercut the investment needed to bring innovative therapies to patients, CMS doubled down on its efforts to second-guess FDA decision-making and make it even harder for patients to access the medicines their physicians deem appropriate. CMS’ decision will only serve to make the already risky ventures we pursue increasingly uncertain, chilling investment and sending a tragic message not just people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers, but to all patients waiting for treatment options and their families.
Biopharmaceutical and biotech investment comes with a great deal of risk, yet the benefit to patients nationwide is unmatched when the system works properly. Regrettably, CMS’ decision could upend this successful system by cutting off investment in the research and development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease—and many other diseases with unmet medical needs.”
###
Incubate is a 501c(4) organization with the mission to ensure patients continue to reap the benefits of the unrelenting innovation spurred by venture capital investment in the life sciences industry and protected by the American system of intellectual property.