Review of Alzheimer's drugs' ruling
Updated on 27 March 2007
Two companies have been granted a judicial review over the health watchdog's refusal to approve drugs to treat Alzheimer's.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has said Alzheimer's sufferers in the early or late stages of the disease cannot be treated with the drugs on the NHS.
But firms Eisai and Pfizer believe the decision-making process is flawed and have said some of Nice's conclusions are "irrational".
Nice rejected an appeal last year over its decision that sufferers with early or late-stage Alzheimer's disease should not have access to Aricept (donepezil), Reminyl (galantamine) or Exelon (rivastigmine).
Another drug, Ebixa (memantine), is only to be used in clinical studies for people with moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease.
On Monday Eisai, the licence holder of Aricept, and Pfizer, its co-promotion partner, announced they had been granted a judicial review regarding Aricept. By implication, a review is also likely to examine Reminyl and Exelon, and the companies hope the hearing will be held in the next six months.
Campaigners have argued that patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's should also have access to the drugs, which cost around £2.50 a day.
Pfizer managing director John Young said: "We accept that Nice has an important role to play on behalf of the NHS and our issue is not what Nice do, but how it has reached its decision."
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, which is also involved in the legal challenge, said: "Denying people in the early stages of this debilitating disease access to drug treatments is cruel and unethical.
"Our legal team will also demonstrate that the decision is fundamentally flawed."
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