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NHS
Even though the UK became the first country to authorise the use of Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi (lecanemab) Alzheimer’s disease drug, the treatment has been deemed too expensive for the NHS.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an independent committee charged with evaluating the cost-effectiveness of treatments, said the estimates relating to the drugs were “considerably above what NICE considers an acceptable use of NHS resources.”
Additionally, the committee also stated that there wasn’t enough evidence regarding the long-term effects of the treatment, its side effects, the costs of providing treatment infusions, or when to terminate treatment.
Following this ruling, NICE has requested further information from Eisai and NHS England to help address the previously mentioned uncertainties. Biogen has already announced that Eisai is working with NICE, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), and the NHS to ensure that Leqembi is available as soon as possible.