Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to (a) develop test infrastructure and (b) recruit testing staff to test patients for Alzheimer's disease to allow early diagnosis and treatment with Lecanemab.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources.

NICE has been asked by the Department to conduct an appraisal of lecanemab for treating early Alzheimer’s disease. The appraisal is anticipated to begin in late August 2023.