[Ip-health] Eisai and Pfizer sue NICE

[Michelle Childs]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=3D/news/2006/11/17/ndrugs17.=
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Nice is taken to court over Alzheimer's ruling
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor
Last Updated: 2:22am GMT 17/11/2006

The body that rations the use of drugs on the NHS is being taken to court
for the first time over its decision to limit treatments for Alzheimer's
disease.

The unprecedented step will be watched closely by other drug companies
whose treatments for cancer have also failed to pass the tests for
clinical and cost effectiveness set by the National Institute for Health
and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

Currently the drug, called Aricept, costs =A32.50 a day. Research shows tha=
t
50 per cent of people who take it have some benefit and 20 per cent have a
strong positive response.


Eisai and Pfizer, the companies marketing the drug, said yesterday they
were seeking a judicial review of Nice's decision. They claim many
conclusions drawn by Nice are irrational or cannot be supported legally.
The companies also claim that Nice "refused to disclose a fully-working
version of the cost-effectiveness model used" for patients with mild
disease.

Nice has ruled that Aricept should only be prescribed on the NHS to people
with moderate disease. The ruling applied to two other Alzheimer's drugs,
while a third was banned except for research. Appeals by the companies,
patient groups, doctors and nurses failed to reverse the decision.

There are 750,000 people in Britain who live with dementia and more than
half of them have Alzheimer's disease.

In England and Wales, where the ruling applies, 290,000 have Alzheimer's,
with numbers set to rise as the population ages.




--
Michelle Childs -Head of European Affairs
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