November 21, 2006

scientists comment on NICE guidance on Alzheimer’s treatment

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) issued joint guidance on the treatment and care of people with dementia in health and social care.

Richard Gray, Professor of Medical Statistics at the University of Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit, said:

“I welcome this NICE guidance and I would hope that the money saved by prescribing fewer drugs with very limited effectiveness can now be re-invested into services to help people with Alzheimers to get the best possible care.”

Professor Ray Tallis, Emeritus Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Manchester, said:

“I welcome these guidelines and in particular the fact that they have looked beyond a very narrow focus on drug treatments whose benefits are marginal to the broader issues that will really make a difference to the quality of care – and hence the quality of life – for people with Alzheimer’s.”