Challenging NICE over Alzheimer's drug
27th June 2006
Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, today met with representatives of the Southampton Alzheimer's Society in Parliament to discuss the final decision taken by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) on the prescription of Alzheimers drugs which has caused fury and dismay.
The Southampton Alzheimers Society met with Dr Whitehead to inform him of their protest against the NICE decision to withdraw anticholinesterase drugs (Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl) for those with early stage of Alzheimer's disease and the decision by NICE to completely withdraw Ebixa for prescription on the NHS.1
Dementia already affects 750 000 people in the UK and this number is expected to double in the next 45 years. It affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80. It is argued that the withdrawal of the anticholinesterase will discourage early diagnosis of Alzheimer. It will also mean that Alzheimer’s patients have to wait for their condition to deteriorate before anticholinesterase drugs will be offered. The Alzheimer’s Society argue that the drugs cost only £2.50 a day per person and so should not be withdrawn on cost grounds.
Furthermore, Ebixa is the only treatment for the behavioural symptoms of late stage Alzheimer’s. It has been shown to work to reduce the distressing behaviour caused by the disease.
The NICE guidance has not changed since January despite a large campaign from the Alzheimer’s Society which saw 9000 responding to the NICE consultation and the consultation period itself being extended to reflect this.
Dr Alan Whitehead said:
“I am very concerned about the potential impact that the continued withdrawal of these drugs will have on those suffering from Alzheimers. It appears that NICE have made this recommendation based on a cost/benefit exercise in the early years of Alzheimers, however they have failed to sufficiently take into account the impact on the quality of life for those with early stage Alzheimers. In particular, factors that are not measurable have not been considered in the terms used by NICE and this is where the problem lies.
At a time when a recent Southampton University report2 has shown that the numbers of sufferers of brain diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease, have soared across the West in less than 20 years, we should not be cutting back the resources to aid sufferers. Fortunately this is still draft guidance and will not become Final Guidance until after appeals are heard on 14th/15th July. I hope that the appeals will prove successful and that the concerns I and many others have raised are addressed.”
More information
- Further information on the Alzheimers Society's campaign can be viewed online at: www.alzheimers.org.uk
- Details of the full report can be viewed online here