Health · Medical Research · 2 hrs ago

Porto Alegre hospital offers Brazil’s first Anvisa-approved Alzheimer’s blood test

Porto Alegre hospital offers Brazil’s first Anvisa-approved Alzheimer’s blood test

Hospital Moinhos de Vento in Porto Alegre is offering Brazil’s first blood test for Alzheimer’s approved by Anvisa, the country’s health regulator.

The test looks for p-tau217, a protein linked to brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s.

A positive result can point to disease-related processes, but doctors use the test alongside other assessments such as a person’s mental state and medical history.

It offers a less invasive option than tests involving a spinal-fluid sample or PET imaging.

For now, the test is private, requires a prescription and costs R$3,200.

The hospital expects to work with partners to make it available through health plans and Brazil’s public health system later this year.

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Eduardo ZimmerHead of Research at the hospital’s Neuroscience Unit and responsible for implementing the test
In this scenario, the test represents a transformative and cost-effective alternative that can identify the biological signs of the disease in a less invasive way through blood analysis
via GZH