高齢者の見守りや介助などを支援する介護ロボットを使用中の事故が、昨年１１月までの１年間に少なくとも７０件以上発生していたことが、厚生労働省の委託調査でわかった。事故につながりかねない「ヒヤリハット」の事例は約３７０件にのぼった。厚労省は安全な利用のためのポイントをまとめた事例集を配布するなどして注意を呼びかける。

介護ロボの事故などを把握する全国調査は初めて。調査は昨年１０～１１月、機器を導入した特別養護老人ホーム（特養）など１５１７施設に過去１年間の事故の発生状況などを尋ね、６３９施設から回答を得た。

介護ロボの使用中に、利用者がけがをするなどして病院を受診した事故が起きたのは２９施設。このうち件数を回答した２５施設で計約７０件あった。ある特養では居室に見守り機器を導入していたが、利用者がベッドから起き上がったことを知らせる警告に職員が気付かなかった。利用者はベッドから転落して骨折したが、気付いていれば、事故を防げた可能性があった。

Canadian researchers developed a calculator that can predict the chances of those 55 and up getting diagnosed with dementia.

You can count on Canadian researchers to build a calculator that can predict your chances of developing dementia.

Researchers at the Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa, the Bruyère Research Institute and ICES developed an online calculator empowering people over 55 to understand how they can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in the next five years. This is the first tool designed to predict dementia, which refers to loss of memory and other thinking abilities that interferes with daily life, on a population level. Over 6.2 million Americans over age 65 live with dementia and, in Canada, more than 76,000 new cases of dementia are diagnosed yearly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alzheimer’s and dementia deaths increased 16% in the US.

The calculator — or the Dementia Population Risk Tool (DemPoRT) — can estimate the number of new cases in the community, identify higher-risk populations and inform dementia prevention strategies.

The first disease modifying drug for Alzheimer’s disease will be priced at a $56,000 a year for an average weight patient, setting the drug up to be a mega blockbuster if Biogen can get it reimbursed.

Biogen, Inc. and Eisai Co., Ltd. won a groundbreaking approval for Aduhelm (aducanumab) as the first disease-modifying drug for Alzheimer’s disease, and now attention turns to the commercial ramp. The big question is if the companies can convince patients, physicians and payers that the uncertain efficacy of the drug justifies the price Biogen has set.

Aduhelm was granted an accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration on 7 June in a controversial decision that had Alzheimer’s patient advocates, investors and the biopharma community riveted. In recognition of the limited clinical trial data supporting the approval, FDA agreed only to an accelerated approval and said it would require a confirmatory trial to prove efficacy or else it will pull the drug from the market – but getting that information will take years.

U.S. regulators on Monday approved Biogen Inc’s (BIIB.O) aducanumab as the first treatment to attack a likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease despite controversy over whether the clinical evidence proves the drug works, sending its shares soaring.

Biogen said it has priced the drug, to be sold as Aduhelm, at $56,000 per year. After jumping more than 50%, Biogen shares closed up 38.3% at $395.85 – their highest closing level in over six years. U.S. traded shares of Japanese partner Eisai Co (4523.T) rose 56% to $116.03. Aducanumab works by removing sticky deposits of a protein called amyloid beta from the brains of patients in earlier stages of Alzheimer’s in order to stave off its ravages, which include memory loss and the inability to care for oneself.

“This is good news for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve not had a disease modifying therapy approved ever,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, an Alzheimer’s disease expert at the Mayo Clinic. However, he cautioned, “This is not a cure. It’s hoped that this will slow the progression of the disease.”