WASHINGTON (AP) — Eli Lilly & Co. says it will push ahead with a first-of-a-kind imaging chemical designed to help screen for Alzheimer's disease, despite a negative ruling by Medicare officials.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said last week it will not cover the chemical, called Amyvid, which highlights brain plaque in medical imaging scans. The government program provides health coverage to more than 47 million seniors, and is the largest payer for prescription drugs in the U.S.

In its decision, posted online, Medicare said more trials are needed to prove the tool works. The government will pay for patients enrolled in future studies, but not for general use.

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