Breaking down the influences of placebo progression and percent slowing on the observed treatment difference in Alzheimer’s Disease clinical trials for populations in different disease stages

Observed treatment effects must always be interpreted in the context of the specific population in which they are measured or they may be misinterpreted. Using rate of placebo progression to standardize a treatment effect allows evaluation of disease slowing effects in early disease. Without this change of perspective, we are likely to undervalue disease-modifying treatment effects that may significantly improve the lives of patients in early stage, and overvalue symptomatic effects that are often observed in later stages.