The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has opened a consultation on evidence relating to population screening for dementia.
Dementia is one of the health conditions the committee reviews regularly for evidence relating to population screening.
In 2019, the UK NSC commissioned an evidence summary, which found no evidence to support changing the pre-existing recommendation not to screen for dementia in the UK. The UK NSC recently commissioned an evidence map to review literature on the topic published since the 2019 evidence summary, including evidence on new drugs and other treatments.
We have now opened a consultation to ask stakeholders and members of the public to provide feedback on this 2025 evidence map and its conclusions.
Take part in this consultation
Visit the dementia screening recommendation page for more information and to take part in the consultation.
The consultation opened on 17 June 2025 and runs for 12 weeks.
Submit your consultation response by email to uknsc@dhsc.gov.uk by 11.59pm on 9 September 2025.
Please note: To respond to the consultation, either download the consultation response form on the dementia recommendation page (by clicking the ‘View documents’ button) and send it to uknsc@dhsc.gov.uk, or simply email your feedback directly to uknsc@dhsc.gov.uk.
Do not use the ‘Submit comments’ button on the recommendation page because the online comments form is currently not operational and your comments will not be received via this route.
About dementia
Dementia is a progressive clinical syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning which interferes with daily life.
The UK NSC is acutely aware of the profound social and economic impacts this condition has on individuals, families, and society.
Dementia that develops before 65 years of age is referred to as early (or young) onset dementia and may also be associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The UK NSC’s previous 2 dementia screening evidence reviews in 2014 and 2019 found uncertainty about how MCI progresses to dementia.
Population screening for dementia would involve offering a test to people not suspected of having the condition. People who test positive would then be offered a full diagnostic assessment and be able to access support from health and social care services while the disease was at a relatively early stage.
The evidence
The 2025 evidence map identified a substantial volume of new published evidence since 2019. However, it found that:
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- most of the identified screening tests were questionnaire-based cognitive tools and their effectiveness as a screening tool remains unclear
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- research on protein biomarker tests is in its early development stages
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- new drug treatments such as donanemab and lecanemab are yet to demonstrate clear benefits for people before symptoms develop or those with early symptoms of dementia, especially when safety concerns and associated costs are considered
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- non-drug treatments tend to be complex or experimental, lacking links to population screening
The evidence map concluded that the new literature published since 2019 does not lend support for population screening for MCI and/or dementia. It also recommended that the UK NSC should not commission any more work on the topic but should review the evidence again in 3 years’ time.
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