Fight for Alzheimer drugs taken to the Scottish Parliament

05 October 2005
To: News/Health/Community Editors

The fight to ensure that Alzheimer drugs remain available to people with dementia in Scotland will intensify on Wednesday at 10.00am when a member of the Scottish Dementia Working Group will address the Scottish Parliament’s petitions committee.

In response to the recommendations issued by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) to withdraw the three available Alzheimer drugs, David Turner from East Kilbride, will speak about how taking Aricept has undoubtedly improved his standard of living.

David says: ”After my diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, I had virtually no life until I was prescribed Aricept. This brought about a complete turnaround and my family noticed the difference immediately. They call it “my wee golden pill.” With the encouragement of other members of the Scottish Dementia Working Group I’m regaining my self-confidence and doing things I thought I’d never do again. It would be a tragedy if others in a similar position in future did not have the same opportunity to benefit from these medications on prescription.”

The Scottish Dementia Working Group (SDWG) is made up of people who have been diagnosed with dementia. The group campaigns on issues which affect them, and works to influence public perceptions of dementia and to improve services of those living with the condition.

The group is extremely alarmed by the recommendations of the Appraisal Consultation Document issued by NICE on 1 March 2005, to withdraw donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine. The second statement issued on 19 July 2005 calling for the Appraisal Group to further examine the effectiveness of the drugs, once again delayed NICE’s decision and sent out a confusing message to people with dementia, their carers and health professionals.

NICE intends to announce its decision on the recommendations of its Appraisal Group later in the year. Thereafter, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is responsible for deciding whether a similar decision will be made in respect of Scotland.

Jim Jackson, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland says, “Scotland should be prepared to take the lead on this issue and put the interests of people with Alzheimer’s disease first. NHS QIS can do this by rejecting the flawed NICE recommendations.”

Please give our Freephone 24hr Dementia Helpline telephone number: 0808 808 3000 and our website address: www.alzscot.org at the end of articles.

Contact details:

Sarah Bromley, PR & Marketing Manager, tel 0131 243 1453, mob 07966 458 869, sbromley@alzscot.org
Philip Bryers, SDWG Co-ordinator, tel 0141 418 3939, philipbryers@alzscot.org

Notes for Editor:

Dementia affects approximately 63,000 people in Scotland.
Alzheimer’s disease is the main form of dementia. The second most common is vascular dementia. As yet there is no cure.

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s foremost voluntary organisation working for people with dementia and their carers. It:

• speaks out for the rights and concerns of people with dementia and their carers;
• operates services on over 60 sites throughout Scotland providing practical services such as day, evening and weekend centres, home care and befriending and carers' support services;
• provides the 24 hour national freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000);
• provides the website www.alzscot.org;
• supports a network of over 40 carers' support groups;
• provides information to carers, professionals and people with dementia;
• publishes leaflets, booklets, reports and a quarterly newsletter keeping carers and professionals up-to-date
• has a research programme.