Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what new drugs
are available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
(AQW 7152/09)
Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety: The Department of Health, Social
Services and Public Safety has a formal link with the National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE), which is an independent organisation responsible for rigorously assessing
the effectiveness of new drugs that are licensed for the treatment of particular conditions,
and providing guidance on their use for those conditions. The Department is not aware of
any current assessment by NICE of new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what
opportunities are there for patients to take part in trials for new drugs for the treatment of
Alzheimer’s disease.
(AQW 7153/09)
Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety: The main opportunity for patients to
take part in drug trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is through the Northern
Ireland Clinical Research Network (Dementia), currently based in the Belfast Health and
Social Care Trust.
Patients are usually recruited into trials from the memory clinic in the Belfast Health and
Social Care Trust. As the entry criteria for trials are often very well defined, it may not be
possible for every patient who wishes to take part in a trial to do so.
The Belfast Trust plans to send information sheets to clinicians working in hospitals and to
the Alzheimer’s Society, to inform them of the Network’s trial portfolio.