Drugs to Treat Alzheimer's Denied After Legal Bid Fails

Aug 12, 09:00 AM

Current Headlines: By Lyndsay Moss Health Correspondent

DRUGS to treat Alzheimer's disease will still be denied to thousands of patients as campaigners yesterday failed in their legal bid to overturn NHS guidance.

Campaigners and drugs companies launched a judicial review after the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said that a class of drugs were not cost- effective in early Alzheimer's.

But yesterday the High Court in London upheld NICE's decision that the drugs, which cost just GBP 2.50 a day, were only cost- effective in the later stages of the disease.

This means that the treatments will continue to be denied to new patients with early Alzheimer's across the UK.

The decision was condemned by charities, which argue that the drugs improve quality of life and help those caring for Alzheimer's patients.

But there was a partial victory for the campaigners. Mrs Justice Dobbs ruled that the tests used to assess Alzheimer's were discriminatory in people with learning difficulties or those who have English as a second language, and said their guidance on this should be amended.

But she rejected claims that NICE had not properly evaluated the impact of the drugs on the quality of life of carers or that the figures used to calculate the cost of long-term care were too low.

The judge also dismissed claims that NICE acted irrationally and unlawfully in producing its guidance.

Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, said the ruling strengthened its approach to evaluating drugs.

"Our guidance stands and the drugs continue to be recommended only for people with moderate Alzheimer's disease, but the court has asked us to clarify our guidance when it is used for certain groups," he said.

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: "It is extremely disappointing. People with dementia will have to get much worse before they receive help."

Jim Jackson, chief executive of Alzheimer's Scotland, said: "This is a bad day for people with Alzheimer's disease. We cannot agree that it is not cost-effective to offer people diagnosed with this devastating illness the chance of a better quality of life early on, while they still have a chance of regaining or maintaining their normal abilities."

Dr David Anderson, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the ruling was "bitterly disappointing". He added: "It seems we will continue to lag behind every country in north-western Europe in making these treatments available to patients."

But Richard Gray, a professor of Medical Statistics in Birmingham, defended the ruling.

"These drugs are simply not a good use of the NHS's limited budget and the court made the right decision," he said.

MORE INFO www.nice.org.u k www.alzscot.org

'LIKE A DOSE OF SUNSHINE'

LYNDA Hogg says the drugs she takes for her Alzheimer's have been like "a dose of sunshine".

She was diagnosed with the early stages of the condition last year and has been using the drug Aricept. She cannot believe the difference it has made to her life - and is disappointed other patients will be denied access to it.

"Before I was diagnosed, I was exhausted all the time," she said. "It felt like I had cement in my head, as if it was closing down. I also had problems with my memory.

"But the drug has just opened everything up again. It is just wonderful."

Miss Hogg, 53, who lives with her flatmate in Edinburgh, said she recently had a test to see how her mental skills had improved and got full marks.

She no longer has a job but is a member of the Scottish Dementia Working Group.

"I don't know where I would be without this drug. I could be in a care home, which would cost the NHS a lot more than what it spends on the drugs," she said.

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