Spain faces calls to fund Alzheimer's drugs lecanemab and donanemab

In Spain, medical specialists and patient advocacy groups are calling on the government to fund two new drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, which have been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by approximately 30%. Currently, the Ministry of Health has not included these treatments in public healthcare financing.

Experts estimate that between 85,000 and 100,000 patients in the early stages of the disease could be candidates for these medications. However, the actual number of eligible patients may be lower due to strict clinical criteria, such as specific genetic profiles and the absence of certain brain microhemorrhages.

While the drugs are approved by regulatory agencies in various countries, the high cost—estimated at around 50,000 euros—makes them inaccessible to many families without state support. Neurologist Juan Fortea, director of the Memory Unit at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, has criticized the lack of political will to negotiate the funding of these vital treatments.