Policymakers ‘dragging the anchor’ leaves Alzheimer’s patients stranded at the edge of hope

Alzheimer’s disease has long been framed as an unsolvable puzzle – slow, relentless, and devastating for patients and families alike. But behind the headlines of failed expectations, a new chapter is beginning to unfold.

On World Alzheimer’s Day, Professor Michael Woodward, Head of Aged Care Research and the Memory Clinic at Austin Health, and Dr Vinay Prusty, Executive Director of Medical Neuroscience at Lilly Australia, join the Health Industry Hub podcast for an unflinching conversation about where Australia stands in this global turning point.

Patients and carers continue to shoulder the heaviest burden, navigating a maze of services that too often feels fragmented and underprepared. A national clinician survey co-authored by Professor Woodward only sharpened the warning: Australia is not yet ready for the wave of new Alzheimer’s therapies.

That urgency came into sharp focus when Kisunla (donanemab) shattered a 25-year impasse in Alzheimer’s treatment, earning TGA registration earlier this year. Yet, hopes of equitable access were quickly dashed when the PBAC rejected a reimbursement recommendation, leaving patients at the crossroads of scientific progress and policy gridlock.

The discussion pushes beyond medicine alone, asking what lessons Australia must take from abroad to ensure innovation is delivered at the bedside. Why is our nation still falling short in matching the pace of scientific discovery with the funding, infrastructure, and political will required to change the course of Alzheimer’s disease?

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