Alzheimer's campaigners win drug ruling
Campaigners for Alzheimer's sufferers to have access to anti-dementia drugs on the NHS in the early stages of the disease were thrown a lifeline by a High Court judge today.Mrs Justice Dobbs, sitting in London, ruled in favour of drug companies, supported by the Alzheimer's Society, which challenged new guidance by the Government's medicines watchdog that the drugs should not be funded by the NHS for patients with "mild symptoms".
The judge ordered that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), which is responsible for providing national guidance on treatments available on the NHS, should amend its guidance in relation to the drugs at the centre of the case - which she ruled was "discriminatory"...
The judge announced: "In the light of the court's finding that the guidance is discriminatory, the court directs Nice to amend the guidance so as to ensure its compliance with Nice's duties and obligations under anti-discrimination legislation."
Alzheimer's Society chief executive Neil Hunt said after the ruling: "This judgment is vindication for the thousands of people who have campaigned for fair access to Alzheimer's drugs.
"The court has ruled that the Nice guidance is discriminatory and must be changed.
"The Alzheimer's Society told Nice this time and again. We have been proved right.
"Patients now have much fairer access to Alzheimer's drug treatments."
Labels: Alzheimer's drugs
posted by Jen @ 5:33 AM
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