COVID19 update –
Dr. Kogan and his team at GWCIM offer most of the ReCode program (The Dr. Bredesen protocol™ and the ReCode Protocol™ via TeleHealth to new and existing patients.
Our adjustments during Covid19:
- telemedicine consultations
- a number of key labs are done by either mobile phlebotomy or as home collection kits shipped to your home.
About Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
AD is the most expensive and morbid disease of our times. Most recent report by the Alzheimer’s Association points out that if we don’t change the current trend one in three older adults will die with AD. Despite the fact that an effective AD modified metabolic approach already exists most experts won’t accept that AD can’t be cured by a single approach or medication. Over 200 medications have been tried and failed as curative AD targets.
GWCIM experience with AD
Since 2008, Dr. Kogan has been applying a functional medicine approach to control underlying metabolic disruptors present in patients with AD. By 2015 GWCIM team had successfully slowed down and reversed AD progression in several patients and began to develop methodological approaches to serving patients with this debilitating disease. In 2017 Dr Kogan and his team members took one of the first courses taught by the ReCode developer Dr. Dale Bredesen (https://www.apollohealthco.com/dr-bredesen/) and received certification in the ReCode program.
Since becoming Bredesen’s certified practice they have demonstrated a number of successful cases of AD reversa; some of these cases were published in peer reviewed journals.
By mid 2020 GWCIM has enrolled nearly 50 patients in its ReCode program which has been approved by GW University and will be provided outside of IRB approved research as a clinical program. Dr. Kogan and GWCIM have several clinical trials underway and expect more funding for ReCode research.
We highly recommend reading Dr. Bredesen books where he explains all details of his approach:
“The End of Alzheimer’s” and recently published
GWCIM Program for ReCode
We encourage ALL interested patients
- schedule a brief 30min consultation with Dr Kogan to outline the ReCode program and design an individual personal implementation plan. The cost of the consultation at this time is $350.
GWCIM team providing care for patients on Bredesen’s protocol:
- Dr Kogan, MD (links to GWCIM and my personal website)
- Health coaches (link to Julie Wendt’s personal website)
- mold assessment and remediation expert (link to Sogonov within CIM)
- Dr Shoemaker’s trained Mold provider (link to Dr Yakel’s page)
- mind body and movement teachers (links to Mara, Jeff, and Yael)
- supplement manager (link to Monica)
- functional lab technician (link to Aleah).
We also advise all interested patients to join Apollo Health ReCode program ReCODE Protocol – Preventing Cognitive Decline And Alzheimer’s, that provides community support, ReCode reports, cognitive training, access to advanced cognitive testing and much more.
The program outline and cost:
- starts with comprehensive 90 min intake at which point all tests will be organized to assess for all key AD drivers.
- These tests include:
- comprehensive cognitive assessment
- brain imaging
- blood work
- number of functional medicine tests.
- continues with 90 min follow up visits in approximately 4-8 weeks or when we have all test results. The cost of these two initial visits is $2000 and does not include any test fees which vary depending on patient’s insurance and tests needed.
- Patients who have previously purchased a ReCode report should schedule an initial 90min intake visit to start the work immediately. However, it is possible that additional tests will be needed depending on what AD drivers have been uncovered.
- We do recommend genetic testing either immediately at the onset of working together or soon after. Patients have a number of options for genetic testing but we recommend most comprehensive through InteLLxxDNA which provides the most comprehensive detailed information.
We can provide approximate first year out of pocket costs only after the second visit. In our experience the average cost of first year expenses starts between $10-20,000 but can be substantially higher when comprehensive dental work is needed. Often the cost of dental work determines most of the cost of the first year treatment. We use a wide referral network of trusted dental providers, and we do not partner with any specific dental practice.
All visits are billed as a fee for service and highly personalized. ReCode program visits are not covered by Medicare/Medicaid but could be covered by other insurances. Please visit “Fees, Cancelations, Insurance Page” describing GWCIM billing practices.
Please note that we have tried an all-inclusive annual program and found it to be too unequal to implement fairly due to the very wide range of visits and services needed. For example, when mold toxicity needs to be addressed, bi-weekly visits for 2-3 months followed by monthly visits are required given the complexity of mold toxicity treatment. If this is discovered in the first two visits the patient will discuss the long term plan in great detail with Dr Yakel.
The GWCIM ReCode program is NOT a substitution for your Neurologist or Memory doctor. If you don’t have one or would like to work with GWCIM affiliated program we would be happy to refer you to GWU Memory Clinic.
Our patients benefit from GWCIM and GWU Memory Clinic close partnership which includes holding regular clinical meetings and exchanging medical records. In contrast to GWCIM, GWU Memory clinic accepts most insurances. Please inquire directly at (202) 741-2870 to ensure that your individual insurance is accepted by GWU Memory Clinic before scheduling the initial visit. Unfortunately at present time the GWCIM ReCode program and GWU Memory clinic can not be folded into one program.
Also please note that while GWCIM is closely affiliated with GW University and Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA), and Dr Kogan is a full time Associate Professor of Medicine at GW MFA, GWCIM is operating as a separate business.
GWCIM ReCode related Research
Ongoing projects:
- GWCIM ReCode Program Assessment project
- almost 50 patient in the program
- publishing of the data is projected for 2022
- partnered with GW Office of Integrative Medicine to attract additional funds to improve assessment and bring low-income patients into the program
- Prospective donors: please, contact GW Office of Integrative Medicine
- AlzLife Light Therapy research.
- In 2020 GWCIM has been approved to begin the first open label trial of 40Hz Light Therapy for patients with early form of AD and Minimal Cognitive Impairment.
- This is a part of the larger trial and expected to finish recruitment of participants by the end of 2020.
- Publication of the data is projected for the end of 2021.
- BOCA comparison study
- assessment of new online cognitive screening tool at BoCA| Home.
- Cannabinoids for AD assessment program.
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- Please note that Cannabis is a schedule 1 DEA controlled substance and currently reported to not have any proven medical use.
- Given a large amount of preclinical data of neuroprotective and anti-neuro-inflammatory effects we have started assessing effects of different cannabinoids on patients with AD. At present we have collected data on dozens of patients and are ready to start a controlled trial for patients in Maryland and DC.
- We discuss all observed and recorded effects with most of GWCIM ReCode patients.
- If you are currently not a GWCIM patient you will not be able to receive any counseling on this topic unless you schedule a 30min consultation with Dr Kogan to discuss cannabinoid therapies. If you are a prospective donor and interested in supporting this initiative please don’t hesitate to contact GWCIM.
GWCIM is welcoming additional clinical trial opportunities and encouraging interested patients, donors, and organizations to contact us with questions and suggestions.
Visit Dr Kogan’s blog about healthy aging and AD: Blog – Dr. Misha Kogan