Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Anti-amyloid therapies have reshaped early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) management, however real-world adoption is influenced by patient and caregiver perceptions not fully captured in clinical trials or traditional real-world evidence (RWE). This study evaluated global social media sentiment toward anti-amyloid therapies in early AD to inform RWE relevant to treatment decision-making and access.
METHODS: A one-year (6 January 2025- 5 January 2026) global social media listening analysis used Talkwalker across publicly available content. Data were captured through a predefined, reproducible Boolean search strategy focused on AD and anti-amyloid therapies (e.g., lecanemab, donanemab). Posts were thematically classified across awareness, access, treatment journey, burden/quality of life, and monitoring/system experience. Automated analytics categorized sentiment as positive, neutral, or negative. “Early AD” references were identified using online descriptors (early-stage AD, mild AD, mild cognitive impairment), acknowledging limitations of self-reported disease stage.
RESULTS: A total of 169,173 posts were identified, predominantly in English (92%), with most originating from United States (67.5%). Overall sentiment toward anti-amyloid therapies was mainly negative (46.5%), followed by neutral (39.9%) and positive (13.6%). Awareness and understanding discussions were neutral-to-negative (≥60%), driven by rising dementia prevalence (93.3%), evolving treatments, and personalized care. Help-seeking and access showed negative sentiment (≥55%), reflecting concerns around diagnostics (96.1%), biomarkers, affordability, and safety. Treatment journeys were cautious yet negative (≥60%) due to monitoring burden and uncertain effectiveness. Burden and quality-of-life discussions were strongly negative (≥65%), highlighting caregiver strain (91.7%), and mental health impacts. Prevention, monitoring, research & system experience remained neutral-to-negative (≥70%), with strong interest in early detection and prevention (97.1%), and research innovation tempered by mistrust in data integrity and long-term value.
CONCLUSIONS: Social media listening provides patient-centered RWE on experiences with anti-amyloid therapies in early AD. While innovation drives optimism, persistent concerns regarding safety, treatment burden, caregiver impact, and access remain major barriers to sustained real-world adoption.