Nice: Alzheimer's patients will benefit from decision
Monday, 23 Jan 2006 10:58
Andrew Dillon, chief executive of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), said people with Alzheimer's would receive access to the right medicines following today's decision.
Nice recommended that patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's diseases should have access to donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine on the NHS, but said there was no evidence to support the use of memantine. The recommendations are now subject to a three-week consultation.
Mr Dillon said: "We are acutely aware of our responsibility to help people with Alzheimer's disease secure access to effective treatment. We needed to make the right decision, based on all the relevant evidence."
He added: "People with Alzheimer's will now receive these drugs when they can help them most. They and those who care for them will be able to feel more confident about gaining benefit from them and the NHS will know that it's using its funds to best effect."