NICE's draft recommendations on Alzheimer's Medicines are blow to patients and to future research, says ABPI

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 02 Mar 2005 - 13:00 PDT

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UK - Draft recommendations on medicines to treat Alzheimer's disease, published today by NICE, are a devastating blow to patients and will act as a significant deterrent to companies undertaking further research in this area, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) said today.

They also put the UK out of step with the rest of Europe, where the medicines are available in all countries where they have a licence.

"NICE's draft recommendations put small cost savings before the benefit that these medicines can bring to so many people who have Alzheimer's - and to their family, friends and carers," said Dr Richard Barker, Director General of the ABPI.

"It also sends a discouraging message to pharmaceutical companies that are putting major research work into discovering new, innovative medicines to help people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. How can companies justify investing huge sums in research and development - it costs on average about Ł550 million to develop a new medicine - if such decisions can be made to withhold medicines from patients despite their benefits?

"We call upon NICE to reconsider this heartless and damaging decision in the interests of both current patients

Note to Editors For further information, please contact:
Richard Ley (office) 020 7747 1410 (home) 020 8866 4622 mobile 07715 169727
Ben Hayes (office) 020 7747 1406 (home) 020 8959 7830 mobile 07715 169726
This is a press release from the ABPI

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