§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the NHS's prescribing policies in relation to Aricept of(a) West Kent Health Authority, (b) Thames Gateway NHS Trust and (c) general practitioners in the Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency. [106050]
§ Ms StuartInformation about local policies on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is not routinely collected and assessed centrally, but I understand that West Kent Health Authority is funding the prescribing of Aricept by consultants to patients with uncomplicated Alzheimer's disease. In developing its policy, the health authority took into account the evidence on clinical and cost effectiveness of Aricept, and did not consider it sufficiently convincing to support more widespread prescribing.
Aricept and other pharmaceutical treatment for Alzheimer's disease will be reviewed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as part of its first work programme. This work is expected to be completed by December 2000.