§ Dr. Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from patients groups regarding drug therapies for Alzheimer's disease patients. [129521]
§ Dr. Ladyman:The Government have received a number of representations about the availability of the three drugs which the National Institute for Clinical Excellence(NICE) has recommended for use for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. These drugs should be available on the national health service to all people who meet NICE'S criteria. Where there are any problems with accessing the drugs, this should be brought to the attention of the relevant primary care trust.
There have also been a number of representations about memantine, a drug licensed for moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, which is being appraised by NICE in the eighth wave of its work. When considering the funding of any treatment currently being appraised 52W by NICE, or where no appraisal has been commissioned, funding authorities are expected to use their existing prescribing arrangements and consider the evidence available to them on the clinical effectiveness of the treatment.