Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) has expanded its LillyDirect digital healthcare platform to offer connections to independent in-person and telehealth options for people in the U.S. living with Alzheimer's disease, the majority of whom have not been formally diagnosed.

Both clinicians and people living with Alzheimer's disease have expressed the need to increase the capacity of our health care systems to diagnose and manage more of the nearly 7 million Americans living with the disease.² Many patients face prolonged wait times to see a dementia specialist. These wait times are predicted to rise to more than 1 year in 2025 and can be even longer for people who live in rural and medically underserved areas. Nearly 1 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries drive more than 50 miles each way to see a neurologist. As a consequence, it can take 2 years or more after the onset of symptoms for a patient to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. 

Timely diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with the aid of biomarker tests is critical to help patients and families manage the complications of this disease. More treatment options are potentially available for people diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Once individuals progress to moderate or severe dementia, treatment options are more limited, and patients experience greater dependence on others. It is estimated that as many as 3,000 Americans with Alzheimer's disease progress from the mild stage of disease to the moderate or severe stages every day.

"We know that early diagnosis and care can make a big difference for people living with Alzheimer's disease. By expanding this platform, we hope to help patients identify and access additional independent specialty care capacity, which can coordinate with a patient's existing care team," said David Hyman, MD, Lilly's chief medical officer. "The addition of Alzheimer's disease to LillyDirect reaffirms our commitment to empower patients to locate the care that is right for them when they need it."

In contrast to other conditions on LillyDirect, the Alzheimer's disease resources will not include mail order pharmacy options to Lilly medicines. Instead, they will focus on education and pathways to connect people to independent provider options.