Shire contests NICE guidance on Alzheimer’s drugs

Shire, the third largest pharmaceutical company in the UK, has described the recent publication of guidance for Alzheimer’s treatment by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a “sad day” for patients that have been newly diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s.

The company has argued that the decision by the institute is unreasonable due to the proven efficacy of the drugs in question for mild and moderate forms of the disease.

John Freeman, managing director of UK commercial operations at Shire, said: “After over two years of deliberations over the value of acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors for all patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it is a sad day for patients and their carers.”

He also expressed concerns that the publication of this guidance will result in a “two tier” health service divided by wealth, with some Alzheimer’s patients forced to wait until they have deteriorated a significant amount before receiving medication on the NHS, while others are able to afford private medication to delay the development of the disease in its earlier stages.

Last week, the Alzheimer’s Society charity reported as “great news” that the decision to limit the administration of Alzheimer’s drugs would be contested by pharmaceutical companies Eisai and Pfizer.