Description:
 
The Problem of Alzheimer's How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Dise
 

In 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans had Alzheimer’s, and more than half a million died because of the disease and its devastating complications. 16 million caregivers are responsible for paying as much as half of the $226 billion annual costs of their care. As more people live beyond their seventies and eighties, the number of patients will rise to an estimated 13.8 million by 2050.

Part case studies, part meditation on the past, present and future of the disease, The Problem of Alzheimer's traces Alzheimer’s from its beginnings to its recognition as a crisis. While it is an unambiguous account of decades of missed opportunities and our health care systems’ failures to take action, it tells the story of the biomedical breakthroughs that may allow Alzheimer’s to finally be prevented and treated by medicine and also presents an argument for how we can live with dementia: the ways patients can reclaim their autonomy and redefine their sense of self, how families can support their loved ones, and the innovative reforms we can make as a society that would give caregivers and patients better quality of life.

Rich in science, history, and characters, The Problem of Alzheimer's takes us inside laboratories, patients' homes, caregivers’ support groups, progressive care communities, and Jason Karlawish's own practice at the Penn Memory Center
 
About the Author
 
Jason Karlawish is a physician and writer. He researches and writes about issues at the intersections of bioethics, aging, and the neurosciences. He is the author of the novel Open Wound: The Tragic Obsession of Dr. William Beaumont and his essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, STATnews and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is a Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and Co-Director of the Penn Memory Center, where he cares for patients. He lives in Philadelphia. To learn more, visit www.jasonkarlawish.com.
 
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A meticulous and deeply researched inquiry into one of the most mysterious illnesses that affects humans. Karlawish blends history and science with his effortless storytelling abilities, resulting in an elegant work.”--Siddhartha Mukherjee, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene

"How does a disease go from being a rare curiosity to become one of the most feared illnesses and major public health challenges of the 21st century? The Problem of Alzheimer’s tells the story of how Alzheimer's disease made this transition. Pulling together descriptions of substantial progress in understanding the disease’s biology, a sociological tale of disease advocacy, human egos, and adverse impacts wrought by the disease, and a recognition of the disease’s economic and public health impacts, Jason Karlawish, a distinguished Alzheimer's disease researcher and clinician, weaves together personal stories with a compelling narrative to tell a fascinating story of the medical-industrial complex, human suffering, and research progress."--Peter Rabins, co-author of The 36-Hour Day and author of Is It Alzheimer's?

"This scoping review is an engrossing and fascinating account of the tragedy of a single ubiquitous disease. A cautionary and deeply relevant tale of what is risked when science collides with politics. A cogent historical and moral account of the human condition, viewed at both a national scale and under the lens of a microscope. You will come away with a different appreciation for science, self-determination and the endless mystery of your own mind."--Rana Awdish, bestselling author of In Shock 

“In this careful and caring new look at the issue, physician Karlawish explores the history of the disease and its treatments; contemporary efforts to determine its multitudinous causes and manifestations and how to treat them, either pharmaceutically or therapeutically; and how governmental and other health programs can better respond. A must-read on an important subject.” ―Library Journal (starred review)