Health watchdog faces legal challenge
Friday, 17 Nov 2006 10:08
Campaigners claim the Alzheimer's drugs can transform lives
A decision by the government's medicines watchdog is to be challenged in court for the first time.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) ruled against appeals to its decision not to recommend the use of three drugs in England and Wales that can improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's disease due to issues with their cost effectiveness.
Campaigners and the drugs' manufacturers responded angrily to the decision, claiming that the lives of thousands of people could be transformed at a cost of £2.50 a day.
And now Eisai and Pfizer, the manufacturers of donepezil (Aricept), one of the drugs to be denied on the NHS, are applying for a judicial review of Nice's decision as they disagree with the process which led to it.
"We are deeply concerned about the way that Nice's decision on treatment recommendations for early Alzheimer's disease was reached," said Paul Hooper, the managing director of Eisai.
"These flawed conclusions will have a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of people affected by this terrible disease."
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, says: "What sort of society have we become when the health of hundreds of thousands are sold to save just £2.50 a day?
"This blatant cost cutting will rob people of priceless time early in the disease and later clinicians will have no choice but to use dangerous sedatives that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke."
Responding to the proposed legal challenge, Andrew Dillon, chief executive of Nice, said: "We will respond to Eisai's letter and act appropriately in any court proceedings which may follow."
The bid comes as protest marches coordinated by the Alzheimer's Society are to take place today across the country. Protestors including doctors, carers and people with Alzheimer's will meet with MPs to call for doctors to have greater flexibility in prescribing drugs.
Numerous celebrities have come forward to support the campaign, including Richard Briers, Fiona Phillips and AA Gill.