Alzheimer's Society responds to Health Select Committee inquiry on NICE

This announcement comes as a Health Select Committee inquiry criticised the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) narrow remit and structure.

Neil Hunt chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society says,

'Today's report confirms that people with Alzheimer's disease should not have been denied access to drugs. This is a victory for common sense. It is good news for patients. We hope the Department of Health will implement the suggested reforms. This will reduce the number of challenges against NICE, such as ours on Alzheimer's drugs, and enable it to regain the public confidence it has lost.'

Importantly the Health Committee highlighted that NICE's economic evaluations do not adequately take into account the wider benefits of treatment to society, including the benefit to carers.

Neil Hunt continues,

'For years the Alzheimer's Society has campaigned to have the benefits that drug treatments bring to carers sufficiently recognised by NICE. We hope changes will be made immediately to address this important issue.'