THE Health Secretary was urged today to help the NHS get “fit for the future of dementia” after it emerged that a drug shown to slow Alzheimer’s may not be available on the NHS because of its cost.

Trials found that the drug Lecanemab could slow cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients by 27 per cent over 18 months.

Though approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the healthcare spending watchdog gave a provisional decision denying access to the treatment on the NHS.