Alzheimer’s can run but not hide from researchers, policymakers

The war on Alzheimer’s disease has been underway for so long that people can’t help but think it may be unwinnable. Doubters in search of hope would do well to skim the August 2026 update from HHS’s Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services. 

Why skim? Because the latest documents are diffuse and extensive.  

The good news is, the chair of the advisory council of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, aka “NAPA,” summarizes the update’s salient recommendations in Substack commentary posted Aug. 13.

The recommendations—primarily aimed at policymakers—“come at a pivotal moment in Alzheimer’s care, as unprecedented advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention are reshaping what is possible for patients and families,” writes Michelle Branham, who also serves as the current secretary of the Florida Department of Elderly Affairs. 

“Our challenge is ensuring that public policy keeps pace with scientific progress so patients and families can benefit from [recent] breakthroughs.”

Branham’s brief boils down the update to four imperatives: 

1. Make early detection the national standard.

‘Alzheimer’s should no longer be diagnosed only after families reach a crisis point. We recommend that HHS direct CMS to standardize validated cognitive assessments during the Welcome to Medicare Visit and Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, giving every older American the same evidence-based opportunity for early detection and earlier intervention.’ 

2. Help Americans protect their brain health before symptoms begin.

‘Alzheimer’s disease begins years or even decades before memory loss becomes obvious. Our recommendations call for a coordinated national brain health campaign that educates Americans about risk reduction, healthy lifestyle interventions, baseline cognitive assessments, and why early diagnosis matters now that meaningful treatments, support services and clinical trials are available.’

3. Equip clinicians to diagnose and care for patients earlier.

‘Earlier diagnosis only improves lives if healthcare providers have the knowledge, training, and tools to act. We recommend that CMS educate clinicians on existing Medicare billing codes for cognitive assessment and dementia care, strengthen care pathways from screening through treatment, and expand workforce training so providers can diagnose patients with confidence and connect them to timely care and support.’

4. Accelerate innovation and expand access.

‘Scientific breakthroughs should not spend years waiting to reach patients. We recommend that HHS coordinate efforts across the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other federal agencies to accelerate promising diagnostics and therapies while strengthening care navigation, expanding access to clinical trials, and ensuring patients can benefit from every scientific advance as quickly and equitably as possible.’

Read the rest of the brief here. Browse the full materials here.