Alzheimer's Society Response To The Publication Of Revised NICE Guidance On Alzheimer's treatments

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 15 Jun 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Thousands of people with Alzheimer's will continue to be denied access to the only drug treatments for the disease following the publication of revised guidance by the NICE.

The original guidance recommended that only people in the moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease should have access to drugs in the NHS, denying them to people in the early stages.

Amendments were made following a Court of Appeal decision to allow consultees access to the health economic model that NICE used in the development of the guidance and a subsequent review of this model by relevant stakeholders, including Alzheimer's Society.

Despite the concerns raised by the consultees on the flaws in the economic model, the newly published and amended Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) has not altered its original recommendations and people in the early stages of dementia will still be deprived access to effective treatments.

Neil Hunt, Chief Executive, Alzheimer's Society, says,

'Alzheimer's Society has long campaigned for the thousands of people in the early stages of dementia to be given access to the effective treatments that they are currently denied because of cost. It is completely unacceptable to deny people with dementia the only treatments that could improve quality of life for them and their carers.

We are extremely disappointed to see that the NICE guidance is essentially unchanged, despite what we feel are fundamental flaws in the economic model they have used to inform their recommendations.

The glimmer of hope is that NICE has finally committed to for a full review to address these concerns, as soon as possible. This will be little consolation for the thousands of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease this year but provides hope for the future that this incomprehensible decision will be changed. We look forward to working with NICE to ensure the problems with the current economic model are overcome and people with dementia are given a fair deal.'

Notes

- Since May 2006 three Alzheimer's drugs have been denied to people in the early stages of the disease on the NHS.

- One 1 May 2008 the Court of Appeal found in favour of Eisai / Pfizer ruling NICE should have allowed public access to the health economic model that it used to make the decision.

- On 17 June 2008 NICE sought permission from the House of Lords to appeal the Court of Appeal decision.

- The health economic model has since been shared with relevant stakeholders, including Alzheimer's Society, and comments have been fed back to NICE resulting in the publication of an ammended FAD (Final Appraisal Determination) on Thursday 11 June 2009.

- One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.

- Alzheimer's Society research shows that 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.

- Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.

- Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

- Alzheimer's Society needs to raise money to help people live well with dementia today and for research to find a cure for tomorrow. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting http://www.alzheimers.org.uk

- Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit http://www.alzheimers.org.uk

Source
Alzheimer's Society