Press Release
Dear Editor,
I write to express my disappointment following the High Court ruling confirming
the decision of NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) to restrict NHS
drug treatment for people diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Last year I campaigned for a motion in Parliament, backed by the Alzheimer’s
Society, calling on the Health Secretary to ensure that doctors could continue
to prescribe effective Alzheimer’s drugs treatment to those who can benefit.
Despite best representations to demonstrate treatment costing just £2.50 a day
can slow down the onset of the disease prolonging active, independent living for
sufferers, the nation’s most senior judges have ruled that the NICE decision to
deny drugs until the later stages of the illness is lawful.
This takes us back full circle to the newly appointed Secretary of State for
Health, Alan Johnston to intervene on behalf of many thousands of sufferers and
their carers.
Even GPs have been denied the opportunity to prescribe the drugs, having to
refer patients to a consultant.
I have witnessed a ‘test’ undertaken by a sufferer to qualify for the treatment
and can see how the bar has been deliberately raised to exclude many thousands
from early treatment.
In Worcestershire and across the country sufferers and their families will be
deeply disappointed by this decision.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Burt
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate
West Worcestershire
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