NHS ‘nowhere near ready’ to deliver new Alzheimer’s drug, doctors say

Hospitals would need specialist staff and equipment to provide regular drug infusions and MRI scans to check for side-effects. Photograph: Johnny Greig/Getty Images

A reorganisation of NHS dementia care is needed to ensure UK patients can receive a groundbreaking drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, doctors say.

Detailed results from a clinical trial of lecanemab have confirmed that the drug reduces cognitive decline in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s, in a hard-won breakthrough hailed as a historic moment for the field.