SMC maintains original decision on lecanemab after second assessment
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)’s second assessment of new Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab has aligned with their original decision (that we reported on here https://journalofdementiacare.co.uk/smc-reject-lecanemab-for-use-in-nhs-in-scotland) maintaining that lecanemab won’t be used in the NHS in Scotland.
This aligns with the view of NICE (which we covered here: https://journalofdementiacare.co.uk/nice-publish-final-draft-guidance-on-lecanemab-and-donanemab) when considering lecanemab for use in the NHS in England and Wales. The reasons given by the SMC are similar to NICE.
Anyone eligible for lecanemab and wishing to receive it will need to pay for it privately.
You can read more on the SMC decision here: https://scottishmedicines.org.uk/about-us/latest-update/july-2025-decisions-news-release/and comment from Alzheimer Scotland here: https://www.alzscot.org/smc-second-assessment-of-lecanemab/