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That sounds pretty expensive for me for a test with that low accuracy, especially when there's not much you can do different if it comes back high vs. coming back low.

We can also test for PSEN1, which is 100% accurate in determining early onset alzheimer's disease, quite a it more expensive, so unreasonable as a screening tool unfortunately.

That price difference seems like the key point. A $200 test can plausibly be used to decide who should get further workup; a $1500 test is already competing with the cost of the workup itself

epistemics asks how many different hypotheses besides p-tau217 levels were tested before arriving at the specified spread.

Seems like a no brainer for hetero/homozygous APOE4 folks.

do you have the reference for that one? I'd be interested in reading it.

We don’t currently have any data that shows any clear way to halt or slow Alzheimer’s.

As someone with family affected by this disease, it’s a very personal choice whether you want to know or not, but I wish people understood that there are many things you can do with it, particularly for those who will be there for you if/when it hits.

Taking care of a loved one with this disease is extremely hard, and it’s even harder when they haven’t had any chance to prepare for this eventuality. Stuff like written records of your history (health, life, etc.), clear powers of attorney, and so on.

It also makes things much easier for healthcare professionals.

The article doesn't explicitly say but presumably you can start taking the anti-amyloid drugs to slow down the progression immediately, there's also lifestyle changes that can be made (most of those would likely benefit most people)

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/combination-he...

> Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease is important since the first treatments capable of slowing the progression of the neurodegenerative disease recently became available to patients, and these drugs are more effective when started sooner rather than later.

Yes, there is the FINGERS method. See e.g. https://fbhi.se For Alzheimer is particular, there are also some drugs now (e.g. Leqembi) that slow down the process, but no cure yet.

Google "what did theranos do" to find out why.

It is largely about insurance reimbursement. Your health insurance won't likely cover something the FDA hasn't cleared.

Because tests aren't completely innocuous? Because tests lead people to make significant medical decisions?

Look at the supplements world, where grifters are shilling chemicals that cause harm and make radical claims for absurd markups. Or gas station pills. You want those companies making Alzheimer's tests? People going in to a 7-11 and buying a "all illness test card" that tells people they do or don't have degenerative diseases?

No, it's very very important to ensure tests are actually indicative and ensure they are well made. To do that, a regulating body needs to be involved.

I think you need FDA clearance to be able to market a test as actually being effective for treatment/prevention etc. For exactly the same reason woo-woo supplements must disclaim that they aren't intended for that purpose

Earlier diagnosis, or at least suspected diagnosis, could make a difference in studying progression, origin, etc.

Imagine the test is 100% accurate: if you gave it to a group of people, you could then try to make interventions earlier, capture more data about lifestyle before symptoms, etc.

I think I'd want to know.

It would affect my financial and estate planning, and how I'd like to navigate the disease's progression.

This is an infuriatingly clueless comment. It gives nothing? It allows people to set their affairs in order, and that is an invaluable thing.

Alzheimers can lead to all kinds of other issues like impulsivity, or aggressiveness. People gambling away their life savings, not knowing that they are even doing it. Doctors unable to intervene due to rights around patient autonomy. All of this has big consequences in the lives of those affected.

These tests are not useless, but I’d agree (from personal experience) that it’s far from clear that everyone should take one.

There’s a degenerative genetic disease that runs in my family that for various reasons we only found out about ten years ago. To get the test done in the UK for it, you have to go to mandatory genetic counselling where they try to convince you not to get it done. Of four siblings, the two of us who thought initially we’d definitely get it done, we’ve not, and the two who were sure they wouldn’t, have done.

They try and convince you not to get it done so you don’t end up confusing being tired one morning or tripping with “oh my God it’s starting”.

Everyone should get their affairs in order, regularly, without needing a test, if they care about their loved ones.