NHS risks missing ‘new era’ of Alzheimer’s treatment without major reforms, experts warn
The NHS is “simply not ready” for a new era of diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease and is not “keeping pace with the science”, experts have warned.
New drugs and blood tests are set to transform Alzheimer’s care and diagnosis in the coming years, according to a group of 40 expert researchers.
Researchers also say medications donanemab and lecanemab, which are currently not approved for use by the NHS, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s as effectively as treatments for other conditions such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
Writing in a series of papers published in The Lancet, they warn that without rapid reform, the potential of “major innovations” within Alzheimer’s research will not be realised.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said the series of papers published in The Lancet “mark the beginning of a new era in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment”.
However, he added, “The painful truth is that the NHS is simply not ready and isn’t keeping pace with the science.
“We now run the very real risk that people living with dementia will miss out on the opportunity to benefit from these big breakthroughs.
“It’s vital that the UK government keeps its eye on the ball so people with dementia aren’t left behind. We want to see better access to early diagnosis so people don’t miss out on the narrow window of eligibility to benefit from treatments which can slow Alzheimer’s disease.
Source: The Independent, 22 September 2025