Bringing Alzheimer Disease Testing and Results Disclosure Into the 21st Century Cures Act

The 21st Century Cures Act and its associated regulations include provisions to increase the types of electronic health information (EHI)—including clinical notes and laboratory and imaging results—that must be easily, immediately, and electronically accessible to patients.¹ A key motivation for this is to support patients’ autonomy by empowering them with information about their health and health care. While some laud the Cures Act as a rejection of medical paternalism and gatekeeping, others worry it’s a blunt tool that prevents clinicians from fulfilling their crucial role in disclosing and interpreting results.