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OLDER PEOPLE LEARNING DISABILITIES MENTAL HEALTH

Mixed views on Alzheimer's drug availability ruling

17 August 2007

It seems that the High Court ruling on the availability of Alzheimer's medication on the NHS for those with milder symptoms has provoked a mixed reaction.

Different interested parties are either championing the decision that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) guidelines should be changed or commenting that Justice Linda Dobbs' ruling has been a disappointment.

NICE was accused by pharmaceutical firm Eisai, the licence holder of Alzheimer's relief drug Aricept, of irrationality in its decision to ban anti dementia medicines for new or mild Alzheimer's patients.

Although on August 10th the High Court ruled that Nice would indeed have to rethink its guidelines, many think the decision was not harsh enough to mean that elderly patients would be able to obtain the drug.

Neil Hunt, of the Alzheimer's Society summed up the reaction to the news in a statement.

"We have won the very important point that NICE guidance is unlawful because it discriminated against significant groups of people," Mr Hunt said.

"However, the result is deeply disappointing for everyone in the early stages of Alzheimer's and their carers. Without further change to the guidance, people in the early stages of the disease will still be refused drugs because NICE considers that these people are not worth £2.50 a day.

"This is insulting and devastating news. People will be forced to deteriorate before they get the treatment they need. Is this the sort of society we want to live in?"

Mr Hunt continued "Nice failed to listen to the views of thousands of carers who told them drug treatments make a huge difference to their lives. It is deeply disturbing that a public body, required to use rigorous standards of evidence based decision making, can simply guess at vital data. This is simply unacceptable."

He concluded: "When NICE speaks it has huge implications for people's lives. Its decision on Alzheimer's affects hundreds of thousands of people. Nice must get it right"

So far the ruling will only mean that NICE has a little less than a month to amend its guidelines for who should receive the medication without question, but how much that will matter in practical terms is yet to be seen.

As Mr Hunt highlighted: "The Alzheimer's Society is proud to have championed the rights of people living with dementia and of our role in the significant changes made today. The campaign goes on."

Eisai is also said to be considering approaching the Court of Appeal over points that were not upheld by the Judicial Review.

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