The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has refused to recommend lecanemab and donanemab for NHS use, denying access to over 70,000 eligible patients in England unless they can afford private treatment costing £60,000-80,000 annually.
Both drugs demonstrated clinical efficacy in trials, with lecanemab slowing cognitive decline by 27% over 18 months and donanemab reducing decline by 4-7 months by clearing toxic amyloid protein from the brain.
NICE determined the cost-effectiveness estimates are five to six times above acceptable thresholds for NHS resources, despite the drugs representing the first treatments proven to slow Alzheimer's disease progression.
The decision has drawn criticism from Alzheimer's Research UK, which warns it sends a damaging signal to the life sciences sector and undermines the UK's position as a leader in dementia research and innovation.