Cameron calls for NHS Alzheimer's drugs after mother's decline

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Nov, 01:08 · Archive

David Cameron has called for NHS access to Alzheimer's treatments, disclosing that his mother repeatedly begged her sister to kill her as the disease progressed.

David Cameron has called for the NHS to provide access to Alzheimer's treatments, making a personal appeal based on his mother's experience with the disease. He disclosed that Mary Cameron repeatedly asked her daughter: 'Will you kill me? You know how to do it, Clare. Will you kill me?' His sister responded: 'Mum, even if I did know how to kill you, I don't want to go to prison for murdering my mother.'

In an interview with the Telegraph, Cameron described his mother's final years, saying she had been in a 'world of darkness' and 'knew she was losing her mind'. The Daily Mail reports that Mary Cameron, a magistrate for three decades, became increasingly forgetful and unsure where she was as the disease took hold. The Independent notes that Cameron lost his mother to the disease in 2025.

Cameron, who is president of charity Alzheimer's Research UK, argued that it represents the 'perfect time' for government action. He has led calls for drugs previously rejected for NHS use to be approved for treating Alzheimer's. Treatments such as lecanemab and donanemab were licensed in 2024 but remain unavailable on the NHS outside clinical trials, although other medicines are cheaper and their side-effects are known.

Along with dozens of dementia specialists, Cameron has called for a maximum 18-week wait for diagnosis of the disease. The Independent reports that Cameron also expressed regret over his government's failure to introduce a cap on care costs during the social care debate, and suggested an insurance-based system could help protect families from large bills.

How it is being reported

• David Cameron's dementia-hit mother pleaded with her daughter: 'Will you kill me? You know how to do it'The former Prime Minister says as the disease took hold, Mary Cameron, a magistrate for three decades, became increasingly forgetful and unsure where she was.Daily Mail · 15 Nov, 00:58
• David Cameron reveals Alzheimer’s made his mother beg sister to kill her in heartbreaking NHS drugs pleaThe fomer prime minster, who is also president of charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, lost his mother to the disease in 2025The Independent · 14 Nov, 08:44
• David Cameron says Alzheimer's made his mother beg sister to kill her in NHS drugs pleaDavid Cameron said it was the "perfect time" for the Government to act on Alzheimer's as he called for NHS access to drugs for the disease and a maximum 18-week wait for diagnosisThe Mirror · 14 Nov, 08:17

In this story: David Cameron · Mary Cameron · Andy Burnham · Clare Cameron · Alzheimer's Research UK · NHS

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log