The first drug to slow early-stage Alzheimer’s, Lecanemab, won’t be available on the NHS in England due to concerns that its benefits are too minor to justify the cost, according to health body NICE. The drug, approved by the MHRA for private use, showed a modest 25% reduction in cognitive decline over 18 months in trials. However, the treatment is expensive and requires intensive monitoring, including frequent hospital visits.
Alzheimer’s Research UK called the approval a “bittersweet moment,” highlighting the disappointment of NICE’s decision. Despite the drug’s historic achievement in slowing the disease’s progression, NICE argues that the benefits – only four to six months of slower progression – do not justify the financial burden on the NHS.
The final decision is pending a public consultation, but with potential side effects like brain swelling and bleeding, as well as the costly and limited diagnostic tools required to determine patient eligibility, the future of lecanemab on the NHS remains uncertain.
While the drug offers hope, particularly to those involved in trials, it also raises questions about access and affordability, leaving many patients and their families in a state of uncertainty.
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