Plans to withdraw four key drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease from the NHS have been met with opposition from government ministers. Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl and Ebixa are the only drugs licensed in Britain for the treatment of the disease. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence, in its draft guidance, said the drugs were not cost-effective. But health minister Stephen Ladyman told the Observer Nice needs to look at the wider impact of its decision. The drugs, which campaigners estimate cost £2.50 per day per patient, improve memory and can make daily living tasks easier. The plans have sparked outrage from campaigners, who say they will adversely affect thousands of people with dementia and could discourage further research into the area.
