Luxembourg is not yet ready for the introduction of a new drug against Alzheimer's disease
Christine Sandu, Unsplash
Leqembi, a drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, has already come under scrutiny in European countries. However, in Luxembourg - as in the rest of the EU - it has not yet received a marketing authorisation (AMM). Nevertheless, the readiness of the healthcare system for its possible use is already being discussed in parliament.
In response to a parliamentary enquiry by Sven Clement, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Martine Deprez, recognised that in order for Leqembi treatment to become a reality, the availability of MRI scans would need to be increased, as the therapy requires regular and rigorous monitoring of the patient's condition.
Today in Luxembourg, according to the National Health Observatory, 75.8 per cent of MRI examinations are performed within 60 days of the appointment, and about 20 per cent within two weeks. This means that, depending on clinical priority, patients can receive an MRI scan within two weeks to two months.
But Leqembi will require regularity and frequency of at least four MRI examinations as part of the therapy. Therefore, as the minister emphasises, if the drug is approved, existing MRI facilities will need to be reviewed and adapted. So far, there is no concrete strategy in this direction.
Leqembi has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Final guidelines for its use - including clinical and radiological criteria, frequency of monitoring and patient selection parameters - have also not been established. All this makes it premature to develop a concrete national strategy, but authorities say they are in close contact with the EMA to be ready for rapid implementation as soon as the green light is given.
The Ministry of Health assures that it is closely following the development of the dossier and is ready to adapt the medical infrastructure at the first sign of approval of Leqembi at the European level. In the meantime, the drug remains promising but unavailable within Luxembourg's official medicine.
