Sexual HealthNew Data Show Cost Savings Achieved By Treating Mild And Moderate Alzheimer's Patients With Aricept(R)
Researchers attending the annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research (ISPOR), heard today that prescribing Aricept® (donepezil hydrochloride) as soon as patients are diagnosed with either mild or moderate Alzheimer"s disease saves the NHS money. The findings contradict the recommendation by NICE that these medicines are not cost effective in the early stages of the disease, a decision that has been the subject of much recent debate.
The study shows that direct savings to the NHS over a ten year period average over ÷£4,000 per patient for those starting treatment in the mild stages of the disease. Total savings to society rise to ÷£7,100 per patient when the cost of care giver"s time is included.
The average direct saving to the NHS over the same period for patients across the mild and moderate stages of the disease was estimated to be ÷£2,300 per patient, and for society ÷£4,800 when care giver"s time is taken into account.
The study, sponsored by Eisai, uses more accurate calculations and more up-to-date costs of Alzheimer"s disease treatment than were used in the analyses undertaken by NICE, and the authors conclude that their findings indicate the decision taken by NICE to restrict treatment to patients with moderate Alzheimer"s disease was highly questionable.
ISPOR