PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CLINICAL EXCELLENCE'S FINAL DECISION ON ALZHEIMER'S DRUGS (6 June 2006)

That this House is deeply concerned by the final decision of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on drugs for Alzheimer's disease, which restricts access to NHS treatment to people in the moderate stages of the disease; believes that Alzheimer's drugs are clinically and cost-effective; notes that the drug treatments cost only £2.50 per person per day; is concerned that clinicians will be prevented from prescribing effective drugs to thousands of people in the early and late stages of dementia; is deeply concerned that prohibiting Ebixa on the NHS, the only treatment available for people in the later stages, will lead to an increase in the prescription of dangerous sedative drugs; further believes people with dementia should be entitled to good quality care and access to effective drug treatments; further believes that this decision contradicts Government policy on early intervention, support for carers and maintaining independence; supports the appeal by members of the Action on Alzheimer's Drugs Alliance to NICE to overturn this damaging decision; further notes that the Department of Health has raised serious concerns about the way NICE has calculated the cost-effectiveness of these drugs; further believes that the Department of Health has a duty to hold NICE to account in circumstances where there are flaws in NICE's appraisal process; and calls upon the Government to consider seriously how people in the early and later stages of Alzheimer's disease can continue to have access to treatment.

Sponsored by:
Roger Berry (Labour)