Andrew Dillon, NICE chief executive, said: “Alzheimer’s is a cruel and devastating illness and we realize that today’s announcement will be disappointing to people with Alzheimer’s and those who treat and care for them.
“But we have to be honest and say that based on all the evidence, including data presented by the drug companies themselves, our experts have concluded that these drugs do not make enough of a difference for us to recommend their use for treating all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Campaign group The Alzheimer’s Society criticized the decision as “blatant cost-cutting” and said that NICE had used inaccurate data on the costs of full-time care. Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “What sort of society have we become when the health of hundreds of thousands are sold to save just GBP2.50 a day?”