Cameron urges UK to create a dedicated fund for new dementia drugs
Former Prime Minister David Cameron is calling for a specific dementia drug fund to ensure patients can access newly approved treatments that slow disease progression.
David Cameron, serving as president of Alzheimer's Research UK, has proposed a dedicated dementia drug fund to guarantee access to the latest Alzheimer's medicines, which can reduce disease decline by roughly 30 %. He cites the successful cancer drugs fund he introduced 16 years earlier as a precedent for overcoming cost barriers. The two drugs, donanemab from Eli Lilly and lecanemab from Eisai, received UK licences in 2024 but remain unavailable on the NHS due to ongoing price negotiations with the manufacturers.
NHS officials and the medicines regulator NICE say talks have been prolonged beyond the expected 49-day window. If approved, about 70,000 people in England could receive the treatments during the early stages of the disease, potentially extending quality-of-life by six months. The Alzheimer's Society’s chief executive, Michelle Dyson, described patients as “desperate” for a resolution.
Why it matters
Access to effective dementia drugs could significantly slow decline for tens of thousands of patients and reduce long-term care costs.
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