Alzheimer's campaigners lost an appeal yesterday for drugs to be made available to sufferers in the early stages of the disease, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Campaigners claim that the decision victimised some of the most vulnerable people in society.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) ruled that Aricept (donepezil), Reminyl (galantamine) and Exelon (rivastigmine) should only be used to treat those with moderate Alzheimer's. Ebixa (memantine) is only to be used in clinical studies for moderately severe to severe sufferers.
It means the drugs will not be available on the NHS for sufferers in the early stages of the disease, although those currently on the drug will not have them withdrawn.
The licence holder of one of the drugs attacked the decision, saying it was "perverse" and that they would consider seeking a judicial review.
Campaigners and doctors who had appealed against Nice's initial guidance in July accused the body of penny pinching, saying the drugs cost as little as £2.50 per day per person.
Supplying these drugs would cost a tiny proportion of our £115 million a week contributions to the lavishly-funded EU - who needs our help more?
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