There is hope for new Alzheimer's disease drugs, but there are also concerns about availability.

San Diego County is one of the top 10 counties in the United States for Alzheimer's disease, with an estimated 58,553 people over the age of 65 diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study by the Alzheimer's Association.

The disease ranks as the third leading cause of death for adults over the age of 80 in the county, placing a heavy burden not only on those affected, but also on their families and caregivers.

Patricia Hernandez has been tirelessly caring for her parents, Virginia Hernandez and Ricardo Hernandez, for nearly 20 years. She said it was devastating that both of her parents were diagnosed with dementia.

“My father's Alzheimer's disease progressed faster than my mother's. And she loses her abilities very slowly. Friends and family say, 'I can't believe we have two parents with dementia at the same time.' ’,” she says.

There was no history of Alzheimer's disease in the family. Patricia initially thought her mother's symptoms were a natural part of aging.

“I knew she was losing her memory, but I didn't know that it would eventually turn out to be an official diagnosis of dementia. About five years later, my father's diagnosis was made. '' said Patricia.

Her father passed away in 2021 from complications from Alzheimer's disease.

With no cure available, the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in San Diego County is increasing. 115,000 San Diego County epidemiologists say the virus will continue to spread over the next six years. This memory-robbing disease has a devastating impact on families, but a new drug that may help slow the disease's progression offers hope. But questions remain about whether those most at risk will have fair access to this new drug.

Patricia's parents were already suffering from hallucinations when they were diagnosed. Disease progression was considered moderate to severe. That's why last year's FDA approval of a drug called Rekenbi, designed and approved to treat early Alzheimer's disease, was bittersweet, Patricia said.

Latinos and blacks are more likely to be diagnosed with symptoms such as: later stage Identify the cause of the disease and automatically exclude it from the use of Requembi.

Patricia is concerned about the drug's availability and affordability, especially for Latinos, who are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's than white people. Experts say health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, which are more prevalent among Blacks and Latinos, are known risk factors.

Medicare is crucial for patients who want Rekenbi's treatment, which costs $26,500 a year.

This is especially true in San Diego County. one third Percentage of Black and Latino residents who report living on incomes of approximately $28,000 or less per year. Even though Medicare covers most of the bill, many patients still have to pay more than $5,000 a year in out-of-pocket costs.

Hector Gonzalez, a neuroscience professor at the University of California, San Diego, is leading the nation's largest study of brain aging in Latinos. He said cost is not the only barrier for Latinos.

“All the time, we see that people of Latin American descent, especially people of Mexican descent, have really limited access to health care and are unable to participate in these trials,” González said. “There needs to be a medical diagnosis that says, 'Yes, this person appears to have true Alzheimer's disease.'”

Rekenbi also cannot be used to treat vascular dementia. black people and latino american Gonzalez said, at a higher rate.

Patricia isn't sure if her parents were diagnosed with vascular dementia, but she probably wanted to spend more time with them.

“I certainly would have tried everything to find the money to the point where I might go bankrupt to get that drug, because it's hope,” Hernandez said. “Everyone should have access to hope.”