Alzheimer's drugs hope as NICE appeal denied
Published 29 October 2008
New hope has been offered to thousands of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s today (29 October) following a landmark decision in the House of Lords.
The Lord's denied the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) the right to appeal a high court decision which, in May 2008, ordered NICE to release a copy of the model it used to restrict Alzheimer's drugs on the NHS.
People in the early stages of Alzheimer's are currently denied the only drug treatments for the disease because NICE ruled they are too expensive, at a cost of just £2.50 a day.
Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society says,
People in the early stages of Alzheimer's are currently denied the only drug treatments for the disease because NICE ruled they are too expensive, at a cost of just £2.50 a day.
Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society says,
'Today is a small victory in the battle to see justice for thousands of people with Alzheimer's disease and their families. Having access to NICE's model will allow us to scrutinise NICE's calculation and to try and make sense of this unfathomable decision.Find out more in our campaigning section
We strongly believe that NICE's decision to deny people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease access to drugs is fundamentally flawed. For the price of a cup of coffee, drug treatments can give people hope, dignity and time when it is the most precious.
'If NICE has got it wrong, the decision must be scrapped and people should be given back their right to have treatment.'
