Shire "disappointed" at NICE's AD decision

UK drugmaker Shire says it disagrees with the recommendation to deny drugs on the National Health Service in England and Wales for new patients with Alzheimer's disease of mild severity.

"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," said John Freeman, managing director of Shire's UK commercial operation. "Shire has consistently argued that the NICE [National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence] decision is perverse, because these drugs are proven to be effective across the spectrum of the disease and have been licensed by the regulatory authorities for mild and moderately severe Alzheimer's disease," he added.

Mr Freeman continued: "Shire is also gravely concerned that the effect of this Guidance will be to create a two-tier health service, where some patients can afford to buy medication that will enable them to delay the progression of the disease at an early stage, while others will have to wait to deteriorate before receiving medication on the NHS."