Komodo Health and Medscape Education Report Finds Uneven Gains in Alzheimer’s Detection and Treatment

Despite major advances in Alzheimer’s disease detection and the arrival of new therapies, significant disparities remain in who receives treatment, according to new research released by Komodo Health and Medscape Education. The findings arrive as the United States prepares for a steep rise in cases, projected to more than double from today’s 7.2 million patients to over 13 million by 2060.

The analysis combined Komodo’s Healthcare Map®—a longitudinal dataset covering more than 330 million de-identified patient records—with Medscape Education’s clinician engagement platform, PULSE. Using its AI-powered Marmot™ analytics engine, Komodo was able to process complex patterns in screening and prescribing in a matter of minutes, offering a rapid snapshot of how care has shifted in the wake of the FDA’s 2023 approval of lecanemab, the first anti-amyloid drug proven to slow disease progression.

One of the clearest signals is that clinicians are identifying Alzheimer’s earlier than before. In the 18 months after lecanemab’s approval, cognitive screening rose by 10%, biomarker testing by 23%, and amyloid pathology testing increased more than thirteen-fold. This movement toward detection at subclinical or preclinical stages reflects growing awareness of the benefits of intervening earlier in the disease course.

But while screening momentum is accelerating, the analysis makes clear that treatment access has not kept pace. Women, who represent nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s diagnoses, are screened at the same rate as men, leaving a gap between disease burden and diagnostic attention. Racial disparities are even more stark: Black patients account for 10% of Alzheimer’s cases but only 3% of those treated with lecanemab. Insurance status also shapes outcomes, with commercially insured patients three times more likely than those on Medicare—and seventeen times more likely than those on Medicaid—to access therapy. Age presents another barrier; although most cases occur in adults over 75, younger patients were far more likely to receive treatment.

“These results underscore the dual narrative in Alzheimer’s care today,” said Arif Nathoo, MD, Co-Founder and CEO of Komodo Health. “We see real momentum in early detection, yet the populations at greatest risk continue to face the steepest barriers to treatment. Identifying and addressing these inequities is critical if we want new therapies to transform outcomes at scale.”

Education appears to be playing a pivotal role in how clinicians adapt to this new era of treatment. The study found that healthcare professionals consumed 18% more Alzheimer’s-related education content on Medscape following the therapy’s approval. This increase was associated with a rise in physician confidence and broader prescribing patterns, extending beyond specialists to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who together accounted for nearly as many prescriptions as neurologists and psychiatrists.

Soo Borson, MD, Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, noted that these findings challenge the perception that continuing medical education does little to shift practice. “When it is timely and relevant, education can clearly accelerate adoption of new diagnostic and treatment practices,” she said.

Katie Lucero, PhD, Chief Impact Officer at Medscape Education, added that the results highlight the direct link between clinician engagement and patient access. “Knowledge is the lever that turns scientific innovation into real-world change,” she said.

As Alzheimer’s prevalence rises in the decades ahead, the report makes plain that detection strategies are improving but must be coupled with policies and practices that ensure equitable treatment. The combination of advanced analytics and timely education, the authors argue, offers a pathway to closing those gaps before they widen further.