EIGHT in 10 people at risk of dementia will miss out on blockbuster new drugs, experts warn. Many with memory trouble will not be eligible because they have the wrong type of illness or are too far gone, and poor access to NHS tests could thwart others. Research by University College London estimated just 14 per cent of memory clinic patients could benefit.
First-in-class drugs that claim to slow and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease could be approved for NHS use this year. Groundbreaking studies suggest lecanemab and donanemab are the first to ever stave off the illness , the leading cause of dementia, and slow down brain decline for years. But they must be given at the first signs of trouble to clear out toxic proteins from the brain before they do too much damage.
The NHS is a long way from doing this testing routinely Writing in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, UCL’s Professor Rimona Weil said: “While a sizeable proportion of patients attending memory clinics may be referred, only a minority are likely to be suitable for these drugs.” The study analysed 1,017 patients at NHS memory clinics in London in 2022. It looked at their exact diagnosis, the stage of disease, other serious illnesses and their overall health and frailty.
When people were ruled out due to ill health or advanced disease, only 14 per cent – one in seven – would be eligible to receive the drugs, it said. They carry serious side effect risks , ruling them out for weaker patie.
