Widespread media coverage tells us today of a new drug that “halts” Alzheimer’s symptoms “for three years.” The news is based on a press release issued yesterday that highlighted positive early results of research into the use of intravenous immunoglobulin to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a medication made by harvesting antibodies from donated blood. It is currently used to treat severe forms of infection and a number of autoimmune conditions (where the immune system attacks healthy tissue).
The idea behind using IVIG to treat Alzheimer’s disease is that it could encourage the immune system to “attack” abnormal clumps of protein (amyloid plaques) that can develop in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Some media coverage of the press release was inaccurate. The Daily Express tells us there is a “pill to beat Alzheimer’s” when IVIG is actually given by injection into a blood vessel. The Daily Mail describes it as a “new vaccine,” which is technically incorrect as it implies only one injection needs to be given when in fact IVIG was injected every two weeks.
Once past the somewhat misleading headlines, most coverage does mention that it may be 10 years before this drug can be available, if it passes further scrutiny. IVIG can also be very expensive to manufacture, so this may limit its availability through the national health service.
Limited conclusions can be drawn from this research as it is in its early stage, was conducted on a small number of people, and was not peer-reviewed. Larger studies that compare IVIG to other existing treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are required to determine how safe and effective the drug is.
1. Which of the following would be the most fitting title to this passage?a. New Drug to Combat Alzheimer’s to Be Released on the Market
b. Alzheimer’s Cure a Complete Fabrication
c. Miracle Pill for Alzheimer’s Has Patients Hopeful
d. Weakened Immune Systems of Patients to Blame for Alzheimer’s
e. Reports of Potential Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Treatment Both Premature and Misinformed
2. The author’s attitude about the medication being studied to treat Alzheimer’s would be best described as:a. skeptical
b. ambivalent
c. stoic
d. enthusiastic
e. cantankerous
3. According to the passage, all of the following are true about IVIG EXCEPT: a. IVIG will be administered by injection.
b. IVIG will encourage the immune system to fight proteins in the brain.
c. IVIG can be defined as a vaccine.
d. IVIG may not be available for 10 years or more.
e. IVIG may not be cost-efficient to produce.
4. Which of the following would best describe the purpose of the fourth paragraph? a. It refutes an argument presented by others in the medical field.
b. It provides an objective approach that has been expounded upon by many.
c. It serves to introduce the author’s misgivings about the media.
d. It denounces the accuracy of a study.
e. It combines the background information with the opinions of different medical professionals.
5. Which of the following statements is the author most likely to agree with? a. Exciting new medical breakthroughs regarding the treatment of Alzheimer’s could be around the corner, but it is unknown how long the road ahead is.
b. The use of IVIG should be introduced to senile mice before it is used to treat people.
c. Research dedicated to a drug that doesn’t attack abnormal clumps but rather coaxes them should be paramount for any scientists involved in this study.
d. The media have a tendency to deliver misleading information to the public because sensationalism sells.
e. A national healthcare system could introduce medications to people with Alzheimer’s who couldn’t afford it otherwise.