Written question asked by Lord Kamall (Conservative) on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 4 August 2026. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Dementia: Carers

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the paper by Zhang X et al (2025, The Lancet Neurology), which states that current tools such as the EQ-5D do not adequately capture health-related quality of life in people with dementia and their carers.

Answer: The independent appraisal committee of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has examined whether EQ-5D is an appropriate way to assess quality of life for people with dementia and their carers, in the context of its ongoing appraisals of modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. NICE has also asked independent experts to review how the benefits for carers of people with Alzheimer’s disease are measured. The committee discussed these issues at its most recent meeting, on 8 July 2026, but the outcome of that meeting will remain confidential while the appraisal is ongoing.

Secondary information