Patients Hit Out at High Court Decision

Aug 11, 04:22 PM

Current Headlines: ALZHEIMER'S patients have condemned a High Court decision which means thousands of sufferers in early stages of the disease will not have access to drugs on the NHS.

Campaigners said the ruling on the future of NHS funding for Alzheimer's drugs does not go far enough.

The case is the culmination of a two-year battle against decisions taken by medicines watchdog the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

Although a judge ordered the Government's medicines watchdog to amend "discriminatory" guidance on drug treatment for Alzheimer's, the ruling did not pave the way for funding for all patients with "mild" symptoms.

Ken Clasper, 60, of Hopgarth Gardens, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia three years ago, a progressive disorder similar to Alzheimer's.

"We have worked from the day we left school for at least 30 years paying taxes and National Insurance believing that when we retired the government would look after us. Now they have turned around and said get stuffed."

Mr Clasper was put on a course of medication before the guidance came in during 2006. The medication changed his life but he would have missed out under the Nice ruling.

The medicines watchdog body ruled last year that Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon - designed to combat symptoms of Alzheimer's and cost pounds 2.50 per day - were not cost effective for most patients and the money could be better spent.

Drugs companies, backed by the Alzheimer's Society, took Nice to the High Court where Mrs Justice Dobbs said the tests used to assess Alzheimer's were discriminatory to people with learning difficulties or those who have English as a second language. But the drugs will still not be available for people with early stage Alzheimer's.

Ian McKeith professor of old age psychiatry at Newcastle University said: "We know from clinical trials that these drugs have modest effects on memory and ability to do daily life activities. But compared to the alternative no treatment, a relatively modest effect is better."

Nice Chief Executive, Andrew Dillon said: "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."

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