Quest Offers Consumer-Initiated Alzheimer Disease Risk Assessment Blood Test

A blood-based biomarker test that assesses beta amyloid protein has been made available by Quest Diagnostics to help individuals identify their risk of developing Alzheimer disease.

The AD-Detect^™ Test for Alzheimer’s Disease is a screening test that uses plasma from a single blood draw to evaluate the levels of amyloid beta proteins, Aβ42 and Aβ40. The test is similar to the one used by clinicians to aid in Alzheimer disease risk assessment (AD-Detect Amyloid Beta 42/40 Ratio test).

The consumer-initiated test can be purchased for $399 (+$13 physician service fee) on questhealth.com. Individuals can schedule an appointment at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center for the blood draw. Once the results are available, they will be sent directly to the consumer. An independent physician is available to help consumers interpret their results and determine next steps. Test results are made available through a secure patient portal and can be shared with the individual’s primary care physician.

“We are seeing much attention on emerging therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, but with new treatment options will come the need to make screening and diagnosis more widely available. Blood tests like AD-Detect hold incredible potential to make Alzheimer’s disease risk assessment both accessible and convenient,” said Michael K. Racke, MD, Medical Director of Neurology, Quest Diagnostics. “We’re also seeing a push from consumers who have a desire to take more control of their health, including within more advanced areas like Alzheimer’s disease risk assessment.”

According to Quest Diagnostics, the test is available to anyone 18 years and older at high risk of developing Alzheimer disease or who is experiencing early cognitive symptoms.

This article originally appeared on MPR