Guidance On The Use Of Drugs To Treat Alzheimer's Disease
.
Alzheimer's Donation
Donate Online Now
.

Update On NICE , UK
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today published the next draft of its guidance on the use of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The Appraisal Committee is recommending that donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine should be considered as options in the treatment of people with Alzheimer's disease of moderate severity only (that is, those with a mini mental state examination [MMSE] score of between 10 and 20 points). Memantine is not recommended as a treatment option for people with moderately-severe to severe Alzheimer's disease except as part of clinical studies. The draft recommendations are subject to an appeal period which closes on 15 June: the consultation document has been published earlier than anticipated, for information, following a leak of the document to national newspapers. During this period registered stakeholder organisations including those representing healthcare professionals, patients and carers can decide if they wish to appeal against the draft guidance. If no appeals are received, the guidance will be issued to the NHS. If appeals are received these will be considered by the Institute. NICE is expecting to issue final guidance to the NHS in July 2006. The guidance which NICE issued on the use of donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine for Alzheimer's disease in 2001 is still in force and will continue to apply until NICE issues updated guidance. When published, the guidance will apply to newly diagnosed patients only. Patients currently using these drugs should continue to do so, on the basis on which they were initiated. NICE is currently also consulting on a clinical guideline on the management of dementia which addresses the wider issue of care of patients with dementia (including Alzheimer's disease). This guideline is expected to be published in December 2006. More details can be found at nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=guidelines.inprogress.dementia.