China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has formally stopped a minimally invasive neck surgery being used in some hospitals to treat Alzheimer’s disease, citing insufficient proof of its effectiveness and potential safety issues. Known as lymphatic‑venous anastomosis (LVA), the procedure involves creating a connection between lymphatic vessels and nearby veins in the neck with the goal of enhancing the brain’s clearance of toxic proteins—a strategy that had shown intriguing early promise.
The NHC issued an official notice instructing healthcare authorities nationwide to stop performing LVA on Alzheimer’s patients, emphasizing that the technique remains an early-stage clinical investigation without well-defined indications, contraindications, or reliable safety and efficacy data. The commission affirmed that, until robust preclinical evidence is established, only ethically approved clinical studies at qualified medical institutions will be allowed.
Prior to the ban, several Chinese medical centers had already begun using the procedure. Beijing’s PLA General Hospital in June reported performing LVA on an 80-year-old patient suffering from severe cognitive deficit. According to the hospital, post-surgery the patient demonstrated marked improvement in memory and could recognize and converse with relatives, representing a rare positive outcome despite the experimental nature of the surgery. Meanwhile, a municipal hospital in Anhui province reportedly conducted over 50 such procedures, and a Dalian hospital priced the intervention between 20,000 and 30,000 yuan—though other facilities charged upward of 200,000 yuan per surgery.
Neurologists have framed LVA within the context of the brain’s glymphatic system—a network responsible for clearing metabolic waste like amyloid‑beta proteins, which accumulate in Alzheimer’s patients. The rationale behind LVA is that by artificially opening drainage pathways, the surgery could slow the progression of the disease. International experts have celebrated the idea of surgical interventions as a potential paradigm shift in Alzheimer’s therapy. A commentary in the MDLinx medical forum highlighted that, if reproducible across centers and sustained over many patients, such an approach could mark a “true revolution in AD therapy”.
Despite this enthusiasm, specialist advisors stress that LVA remains far from mainstream clinical application. According to the NHC, lacking clear clinical guidance or health-economic evidence means the operation should be confined to experimental use. Until comprehensive preclinical data emerge, broad commercial use is deemed premature. Following the ban, local health authorities must not only pause performing the surgery but also ensure ongoing follow-up care for patients who have already undergone the procedure.
China faces a significant Alzheimer’s challenge: nearly 17 million citizens currently live with dementia—a figure expected to climb to 19.1 million by 2030 and escalate further to 27.7 million by 2050, largely driven by the nation’s rapidly aging population. In a country where treatment options remain limited, both patients and clinicians have been eager for innovative approaches. The recent proliferation of LVA surgeries reflects this sense of urgency, even as concern mounts over the lack of robust evidence .
Although China is the only country currently known to be experimenting with LVA for Alzheimer’s, experts warn that similar procedures remain speculative globally . Medical communities emphasize a broader, multi-pronged strategy encompassing drug development, lifestyle interventions, and ethical, rigorously regulated clinical trials.
In halting the controversial neck surgery, the NHC aims to strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring patient safety. The directive underscores the need for ethically-monitored clinical research and the establishment of a strong preclinical evidence base before any broader implementation. For patients who have already undergone LVA, local health authorities are now responsible for ensuring they receive proper follow-up care.
As interest in surgical methods for neurodegenerative diseases grows, authorities globally will be watching China’s regulatory path closely. For now, the NHC’s suspension sends a clear message: promising new treatments must rest on solid scientific foundations before being offered to vulnerable patients.
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