Opinion: Real-world data can help expedite drug approvals for serious diseases with few options
My grandmother was diagnosed with dementia in the early 2000s. We started taking it seriously when she began letting strangers into her Brooklyn brownstone. From there, her behavior quickly deteriorated. She would try to catch her excrement when using the bathroom because she believed it would clog the plumbing. She stashed bottles of whiskey under her bed to cope with insomnia.
The drugs her doctors prescribed were the best medications available at the time. Still, they did not slow my grandmother’s loss of memory or salvage her dignity. They also came with notable side effects. Today, people with dementia still don’t have great treatment options.
