Farron welcomes new guidance on Alzheimer's treatment
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today welcomed the draft decision by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to improve the treatment available to Alzheimer's patients in all stages of the disease. The latest draft guidelines issued by NICE recommend that people with Alzheimer's should have unrestricted access to four available drug treatments on the NHS.
As an officer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia, Tim has supported the 'Access to drugs' campaign by the Alzheimer's Society. This contested the 2007 restriction of Alzheimer's drug treatments by NICE, when it claimed the drugs weren't cost effective, despite costing only £2.80 a day.
As a result, Tim has warmly welcomed NICE's reviewed proposals on the extension of Alzheimer's drug availability, as access to this medication will dramatically improve the quality of life of Alzheimer's patients.
Commenting, Tim said: "This is a great result for all involved in the 'Access to drugs' campaign and will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their carers. The main priority now is to ensure that the recommendations are secured and upheld when a final decision is published at the end of the year."
Margaret Irving, Alzheimer's Society Lakes Area Manager, said: "The revised draft guidance by NICE is fantastic news for people living with Alzheimer's in Cumbria and is a victory for everyone who campaigned with Alzheimer's Society for full access to the drug treatments.
"If this guidance is issued, doctors will be able to prescribe treatments which are in the best interest of their patient. It will also be a strong incentive for GPs to diagnose Alzheimer's disease earlier and will hopefully encourage people who are worried about their memory to visit their doctor. Early diagnosis and intervention mean better choice and control in the support and care available.
"Although the final decision is still a few months away, we are encouraging people to start talking to their GPs now if they think they should be entitled to the drugs in light of this new draft guidance.'