The story so far

January 2009

Alzheimer's Society reviews the health economic model used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), and appealed for NICE to review its decision on Alzheimer's drugs. Read our response.

NICE has not yet responded to our analysis of the economic model, and we will continue to keep this webpage updated with further information on the issue.

October 2008

The House of Lord's denied NICE the right to appeal a high court decision which, in May 2008, ordered NICE to release its health economic model.

May 2008

The Court of Appeal found in favour of the pharmaceutical companies Eisai/Pfizer ruling that NICE should have allowed public access to the health economic model that it used to make its decision.

 

This judgement meant that Alzheimer's Society, along with the pharmaceutical companies, would be given access to the economic model.

September 2007

Alzheimer's Society announces it would not be appealing against the judgment made in the Judicial Review against the NICE guidance on Alzheimer's drugs.

• The Society will not appeal

August 2007

In the Judicial Review against the NICE guidance on Alzheimer's drugs the High Court ruled that NICE guidance on prescribing drugs to people with Alzheimer's disease on the NHS breached disability and race discrimination law. The public body was ordered to make changes to its guidance. However, the court did not rule in favour of the charity's other two legal arguments on NICE's evaluation of the benefit of drugs to carers and the costs of full time care. The judgment means that people in the early states of Alzheimer's drugs will continue to be denied access to effective treatment on the NHS because of cost.

January 2007

Campaigners from the Alzheimer's Society announce their intention to challenge NICE decision on Alzheimer's drug treatments in the High Court.

• Charity to challenge NICE in the High Court

November 2006

The decision to deny life-changing drugs to thousands of people with Alzheimer's at a saving of just £2.50 a day triggered protest marches across the country as Eisai and Pfizer, the manufacturers of one of the drug treatments for Alzheimer's inform NICE that they intend to apply for a judicial review against its decision to restrict access to Alzheimer's drugs.

• NICE challenged over fatally flawed decision on Alzheimer's drugs

October 2006

Alzheimer's Society expresses outrage at the NICE appeal panel's rejection of Alzheimer's Society's appeal on access to Alzheimer's drugs. The panel have decided not to change the original guidance of the Appraisal Committee, stating that Alzheimer's drugs should only be prescribed to people in the 'moderate' stages of the disease, and not in the early or later stages.

• Anger as NICE says no to Alzheimer's appeal

July 2006

The NICE appeal hearing takes place on 13 and 14 July 2006. There were five separate appeals.  Alzheimer's Society appeal was supported by Royal College of Nursing, Age Concern, and Dementia Care Trust. Our arguments fell under two appeal grounds. Firstly that NICE had not followed its process correctly, and secondly that the decision was perverse in light of the evidence. NICE has not yet announced the outcome of the appeal.

• Charities and nurses join forces to appeal perverse decision on Alzheimer's drugs

May 2006

NICE publish the Final Appraisal Determination and do not change their decision of January 2006, despite the unanimous criticism of people with dementia, carers and specialists in dementia care.

• Counting pennies, destroying lives

13 February 2006

Deadline for consultation ends but the Society keeps up the pressure on MPs.

• Alzheimer's Society formal response to the NICE appraisal consultation document

23 January 2006

Proposals for tough new restrictions on the prescription of Alzheimer's drug treatments on the NHS could see them denied to people in the early and late stages of dementia. NICE has again delayed its final decision on the only licensed drug treatments for people with Alzheimer's disease.

December 2005

Celebrities and local groups support the hands of dementia drugs campaign.

• 'My Mum' - the nation's most priceless memory

28 November 2005

Over 120 MPs have added their names to early day motion 662 in support of the Action on Alzheimer's Drugs alliance campaign to keep Alzheimer's drugs on the NHS.

19 July 2005

NICE publishes a summary of its response to the public consultation. A final decision is deferred.

1 June 2005

NICE technology appraisal committee meets to decide whether or not it should change the guidance in light of the consultation.

22 March 2005

Alzheimer's Society submits its formal response to the draft guidance. NICE also receives more than 8,000 letters/emails in an unprecedented response to its public consultation.

Responses from other organisations

Alzheimer's Society had a positive meeting with John Reid, Health Secretary. The government's response to the guidance echoed many of our concerns, including the suggestion of factoring in carer time.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists response can be found on the Royal College website.

1 March 2005

NICE publishes draft guidance recommending that three drugs, Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon, currently available to alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, should no longer be available to patients on the NHS. It also recommends that Ebixa should not be prescribed, except within clinical trials.

June 2004

Alzheimer's Society's original submission to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice) includes the views of people with dementia as well as those of carers. Eight years ago this would not have been possible. The introduction of drugs for Alzheimer's disease and their subsequent approval by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence has enabled people affected to continue to communicate their views to others.

Download the full submission to NICE

• Drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, June 2004
• Appendix 1: Drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's Society factsheet)
• Appendix 2: What is Alzheimer's disease? (Alzheimer's Society factsheet)
• Appendix 3: Survey on drugs for dementia
• Appendix 4: Results of questionnaire survey
• Appendix 5: Guidelines for working with pharmaceutical companies, June 2004
• Appendix 6: Declaration of interests