Alzheimer's drugs appeal refused

Alzheimer's disease groups have condemned a decision by the NHS drugs watchdog to reject their appeal for greater access to certain drugs.

Campaigners had argued patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's should also have access to the £2.50-per-day drugs.

About 750,000 people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, but only 78,000 patients take donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine, with two thirds of those taking donepezil.

Action on Alzheimer's, an alliance of more than 30 professional and patient organisations, reacted angrily to the ruling.

"The decision will force patients to wait until their condition deteriorates into a state of fear and confusion before receiving drugs that work," it said.

Help the Aged said one in five people over 80 were affected by dementia and the number of people living with the disease was set to double in a decade.

Jonathan Ellis, senior policy manager at the charity, said: "It cannot be right to allow the health of thousands of older people to deteriorate on the altar of cost."

A Department of Health spokesman said it would be "entirely inappropriate" to overrule NICE's decision.

Surely I am not the only person who thinks that cost should not be a limitation for Health Care?

This is terrible news, and highlights that again, costs are decisive on how or what medical aid is available.

If you have the money, you're OK, but if not................