HC Deb 03 June 1991 vol 192 cc62-3W
Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the percentage of national health service patients above the age of 65 years who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Mr. Dorrell

The Department can make no reliable estimate of the number of NHS patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Current scientific evidence suggests that about 7 per cent. of people aged 65 years and ever suffer from dementia. About 70–75 per cent. of the cases in this age band may be attributed to Alzheimer's disease.

Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his estimate of the cost of Alzheimer's disease to social services;

(2) what is his estimate of the cost of Alzheimer's disease to the national health service.

Mr. Dorrell

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Health where he ranks the development of an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease among other priorities for elderly health care.

Mr. Dorrell

The prevention of, or the development of an effective treatment for, Alzhiemer's disease would be a major step forward in the care of the elderly. The Government support biomedical and clinical research into a wide range of disabling conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, through grants in aid to the Medical Research Council.

Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the percentage of(a) all deaths, and (b) deaths beyond the age of 65 years which are attributable to Alzheimer's disease (i) throughout the world, and (ii) in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Dorrell

There are no data on mortality readily available for the world. The table shows the percentage of(a) all deaths; and (b) deaths for persons aged 65 years and over which are attributable to Alzheimer's disease in the United Kingdom and for Great Britain for the most recent years for which data are available.

Number and percentage of deaths from Alzheimer's disease1 for the United Kingdom and Great Britain 1989 and 1990
All ages 65 years plus
1989 United Kingdom
Deaths Number 1,220 1,124
Percentage 0.19 0.21
1990 Great Britain
Deaths Number 1,504 1,397
Percentage 0.24 0.28
1 Ninth revision International Classification of Disease Code 331.0