A leading Alzheimer’s charity has accused the National Health Service (NHS) of denying patients access to drugs that could slow the progression of dementia, describing the situation as a “betrayal” of affected individuals and their families. Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, criticized the NHS for failing to provide new treatments available in other publicly funded healthcare systems, which she said would offer patients precious additional time with their loved ones.
The NHS is currently under pressure to approve two newly licensed drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, which clinical trials have shown can reduce cognitive decline by approximately one-third in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Despite their licensing in the UK in 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has rejected their routine use on the grounds that the clinical benefits do not justify the financial costs.
Calls for a dedicated dementia drugs fund have been renewed by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, who previously established a similar fund for cancer treatments. Lord Cameron, president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, lost his mother to Alzheimer’s disease last year and joined prominent dementia specialists in urging the government to reconsider access to these therapies.
In a commentary, Ms. Dyson emphasized the disparity between the availability of treatments for dementia and other serious illnesses such as cancer, stating that dementia care is “decades behind” and warning that the NHS is falling behind international peers. She appealed to government bodies, the NHS, and NICE to intensify efforts to secure these treatments for patients in the UK.
Last week, 38 leading dementia experts collectively raised concerns that the government may not be adequately considering the consensus among specialists who believe the drugs provide meaningful benefits before patients enter advanced stages of Alzheimer’s.
Representatives from the Department of Health and Social Care reiterated that decisions on treatment approval for routine NHS use are made independently by NICE following evidence-based assessments of benefits and costs. A spokesperson for NICE confirmed the appraisal process is currently paused while discussions continue between NHS England and the pharmaceutical companies to explore options that could lead to a positive outcome.
An NHS England spokesperson stated that negotiations are ongoing with manufacturers to secure affordable pricing arrangements that balance the modest clinical benefits of the drugs, value for taxpayers, and the resources required to support treatment delivery.
The debate highlights ongoing challenges in balancing innovation, cost-effectiveness, and equitable access to emerging treatments for Alzheimer’s disease within the UK’s public healthcare framework.