The quest to find a cure for Alzheimer’s has been ongoing now for around 100 years and scientists have made huge breakthroughs in recent times. However, a new study by researchers at the Queen Mary University of London has found that just 1% of current patients are being screened for disease-slowing treatment.
Two drugs, donanemab and lecanemab, are set to be approved for NHS use this summer but in order to gain access to these treatments, patients need to undergo diagnostic tests. Both drugs are proven to slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages and around 280,000 patients are eligible, in theory at least.
However, in order to be eligible in reality, patients need to have either a positron emission tomography (PET) brain scan or a spinal fluid scan. Both of these diagnostic tests are able to confirm whether there is a build-up of toxic proteins in the brain.
These toxic proteins are what donanemab and lecanemab target in a bid to reduce the speed at which the disease develops. More specifically, the drugs remove toxic clumps of amyloid proteins from the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Trials show that removing these proteins slows the speed of memory loss by 33%.
The fact that research suggests just 1% of eligible patients are being given tests to make them eligible for this treatment will be a source of great frustration to patients and family members.
What the Research Tells Us About New Alzheimer’s Drug
The research at Queen Mary University of London looked at how many Dementia patients in London were being cared for in relation to diagnostic tests.
They found that only a ‘handful’ of patients at NHS memory clinics in five areas of London are being offered the aforementioned diagnostic tests despite around 32% being eligible. To compound matters, only around half of the 1,017 dementia patients studied were even being referred to memory clinics.
Researchers found that less than 1% of eligible patients in London’s memory clinics had been given the relevant diagnostic tests. That figure was slightly higher at specialist NHS centres in London, however, only a small number of Alzheimer’s patients are cared for in these centres.
To conclude, researchers believe that there is a ‘clear and urgent’ need to improve screening and that new specialist NHS services must be set up to prevent a ‘large mismatch’ between those eligible for the drugs and those who have undertaken said screening.
The NHS Has a “Long Way” To Go
Responding to the research study, the head of public affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, David Thomas, told the Times:
“New Alzheimer’s drugs are finally on the horizon, but for their full potential to be realised, health systems need to be able to offer people with symptoms of dementia an accurate and early diagnosis to find out whether these treatments could benefit them….As this research demonstrates, the NHS is a long way from being able to do this testing routinely.”
Head of Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, David Thomas
Thomas went on to suggest that the upcoming general election could be decisive in the future of Alzheimer’s care in the UK. Discussing the need for greater investment in the NHS, Thomas said:
“Whoever forms the next government must invest in the NHS urgently, to ensure we have the right diagnostics and workforce in place to help identify people who could benefit from new treatments should they be deemed safe and effective by the regulators.”
“A key part of the solution is cheaper, more scalable diagnostics, such as blood tests, for use in clinical care.”
Final Thought
The study underscores a critical need for improved diagnostic testing accessibility for Alzheimer’s patients. With new treatments emerging, enhancing screening capabilities within the NHS is essential.
Addressing this gap could significantly benefit eligible patients, highlighting the importance of serious NHS investment in the coming months and years.
Next month, Curia will be hosting a ‘sprint’ roundtable in Northamptonshire, to look at how we can develop a comprehensive care pathway for dementia patients. Access is for our Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group Subscribers. Please email team@curiauk.com to find out how to become a subscriber.
