Spain rejects Alzheimer drugs, sparking outcry from patients and doctors

Spain's Interministerial Commission on Pricing of Medicines and Health Products rejected for the second time on July 15, 2026 the public funding of lecanemab and donanemab, two drugs that slow the progression of early Alzheimer's. The Ministry of Health justified the decision citing "very limited clinical benefit" and a "very high cost relative to clinical value" Source: elmundoes.

The decision

The Commission's second refusal follows a first rejection in April. In a letter from Secretary of State Javier Padilla, the Ministry argued that decisions must consider "the robustness of available evidence, patient safety, the system's capacity to implement treatment with necessary guarantees, and sustainable economic conditions" Source: elmundoes.

Reaction and concerns

Patient groups, neurologists, and scientific societies have expressed strong opposition:

• Disappointment and frustration: The Hub Alzheimer Barcelona, comprising hospitals like Clínic and Sant Pau, called the decision "profoundly worrying" and said it creates "inequality incompatible with the principles of universality of the National Health System" Source: lavanguardia.
• Inequity in access: Those who can afford the drugs through private insurance will get them, while others cannot. The Spanish Confederation of Alzheimer's (Ceafa) and six medical societies described the decision as "deeply disappointing" and warned it will generate inequalities Source: infobae.
• Unmet need: Neurologist David Pérez, president of the Alzheimer Spain Foundation, noted that while the drugs are not for all, they could help about 50,000 patients in early stages, and delaying funding misses a "window of opportunity" .