What we publish, and why
PatientSpotlight covers what is changing in Alzheimer's disease — clinically, regulatorily, and operationally — and what those changes mean for patients, families, clinicians, and decision makers. We are not a news service. We do not chase headlines. We publish when there is something material to say, and we say it as plainly as the evidence supports.
Our four formats
Each piece on the site is one of four formats, and the format is chosen to match the nature of the information.
- Signals — short reads on early indicators worth watching. We publish a Signal when something has moved enough to matter, but not yet enough to synthesize.
- Insights — longer-form analysis. We publish an Insight when the picture firms up enough to take a position and defend it from sources.
- Snapshots — reference pages. The landscape as it stands today, dated and updated when material changes occur.
- Explained — plain-language primers. Written so a non-specialist can read them once and walk away with a working understanding.
Sources we use
Every piece is built from primary sources. The categories we draw from include:
- FDA approval letters, prescribing information, advisory committee transcripts, and guidance documents.
- CMS coverage decisions, NCDs, and registry program documentation.
- EMA, NICE, MHRA, and other major-market regulator decisions and assessments.
- Peer-reviewed publications, including pivotal trial reports, biomarker validation studies, and consensus guidance.
- Sponsor pipeline disclosures, regulatory submissions, and post-launch reporting.
- ClinicalTrials.gov and equivalent registries.
- Conference proceedings — primarily AAIC and CTAD.
- Published health-system rollout reports and audits.
Every published piece lists its key sources at the bottom. The full source taxonomy lives at our Sources page.
What we will not do
- We do not invent statistics, dollar figures, or trial results. If a number is in a piece, it is sourced.
- We do not extrapolate beyond what the source supports. Where the evidence is uncertain, we say so.
- We do not promote products, sponsors, or institutions. We have no paid editorial.
- We do not give medical or financial advice. Where the line gets close, we direct readers to their own clinicians or advisors.
How pieces are dated and updated
Every piece carries a publish date. Snapshots additionally carry an updated date. When the underlying evidence shifts, we update the piece in place and note the change. We do not silently revise analysis — substantive changes to an Insight produce a new dated piece.
Editorial standards in detail
The full editorial policy — including how we handle conflicts of interest, corrections, and any commercial relationships — lives on our Editorial policy page.