Early data suggest the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine could have a protective effect against Alzheimer's

Medical Xpress / Massachusetts General Hospital / JAMA Network Open ^ | May 19, 2023 | Marc S. Weinberg et al

[ConservativeMind]

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine—which prevents tuberculosis—offers multiple beneficial effects, and it's currently a recommended therapy for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In a new study, treatment with the BCG vaccine was associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Although previous research has suggested a link between the BCG vaccine and a lower risk of dementia, studies were limited by size, study design, or analytical methods. To conduct a more robust study, Marc Weinberg, MD, Ph.D., and colleagues followed 6,467 individuals for up to 15 years after they were diagnosed with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

The group included 3,388 patients who underwent BCG vaccine treatment and 3,079 who served as controls, matched by factors such as age, sex, and medical co-morbidities.

During follow-up, 202 patients in the BCG vaccine group and 262 in the control group developed Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The incidence was 8.8 per 1,000 person-years and 12.1 per 1,000 person-years in the respective groups.

Analyses revealed that treatment with the BCG vaccine was associated with a 20% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The protective association was greater in patients aged 70 years or older. Additionally, during follow-up, 751 patients in the BCG vaccine group and 973 in the control group died. Thus, treatment with BCG vaccine was associated with a 25% lower risk of death.

"A vaccine like BCG, if proven effective, is a perfect example of a cost-effective, population-health–based solution to a devastating illness like Alzheimer's disease," says Weinberg. "We are shifting our focus towards studying the potential benefits of BCG vaccination of older adults in Alzheimer's disease–related clinical trials."

[ConservativeMind]

It seems this tuberculosis vaccine is associated with a 25% lower risk of death and a 20% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other similar diseases.

The BCG vaccine has had a few other ailments it appears to help, too.

This may be worth exploring, even if one is not expected to be exposed to TB.

[ConservativeMind]

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