Ask About Medicines Week: Poor drug access condemned

Speaking during Ask About Medicines Week, Neil Hunt, Alzheimer's Society chief executive, says people with Alzheimer's are being denied Ebixa because they may not be able to ask their doctor for it and may not even know it exists.

'There are thousands of people across the UK with Alzheimer's who would benefit greatly from Ebixa. But many of these have been refused an NHS prescription; others aren't even told this drug even exists. Access to Ebixa is being restricted even though it was licensed for use in the UK in October 2002.

In our experience there are likely to be many more people being denied access to Ebixa than those we are already in touch with. We also know from our experience with other drug treatments that health authorities will try every trick in the book to restrict access and ration these therapies.

With the Government supporting initiatives such as Ask About Medicines, it is unacceptable that health authorities are denying people with Alzheimer's vital drugs. They must take notice of the Ask About Medicines initiative, which calls on health professionals to consider the views of patients and carers when making prescribing decisions.'

Ask About Medicines Week is being supported by the Department of Health and runs from 12th -18th October 2003.

The Alzheimer's Society is campaigning for Ebixa - the first drug for people with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease - to be provided free on the NHS for all those with a clinical need for it.

In particular the Society is drafting a submission to National Institute for Clinical Excellence, which will detail the experiences of people with dementia and their carers who have been using Ebixa.

Case studies

'My husband has only been on Ebixa for one week and already the change in his condition is remarkable. Previously he was unable to go to the toilet unaided, but now he can. He is in a care home and was not able to walk by himself. Now he is up and about. I am having to buy it privately because the consultant was not willing to prescribe on the NHS.'

'My wife has been on Ebixa for about six months and when she first started on it, it seemed to halt the illness. She spoke and acted like normal, but gradually the illness took over. But I am still convinced that if she was not on Ebixa she would be worse that what she is now. Of course our local health authority doesn't pay for this drug, so I have to buy it privately.'

'My husband is being refused assessment for Ebixa. I am now trying to get private consultation, but to no avail. My son has said he can get it on the Internet.'

Notes for editors

• Case studies available on request.
• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• Over 700,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• There are 18,500 people in the UK under the age of 65 with dementia
• Our website address is: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
• AAMW is a UK-wide initiative to be held 12 -18 October 2003 to help people understand their medicines and make better use of them. This initiative aims to contribute to people's ability to control their own health and healthcare by encouraging better understanding of what medicines do and how to make the most appropriate use of them. It also aims to encourage health professionals to support people in asking questions about medicines.
• Ask About Medicines Week is organised by the Medicines Partnership, the Doctor Patient Partnership and the Promoting Excellence in Consumer Medicines Information working group.