Protest rally over Alzheimer's drug

Hundreds of patients converged on Parliament today to protest against the proposed withdrawal of Alzheimer's drugs.

The UK drugs evaluator has drawn up draft guidance which says a group of drugs should be withdrawn because they do not give patients enough benefit to justify the cost.

But campaigners are outraged and say the drugs give people up to a year of relief from symptoms for a cost of just £2.50 per patient per day.

It is feared patients and carers will be forced to buy the drugs themselves.

Today protesters were taking part in the march, organised by the Alzheimer's Society. The Remember Those Who Forget rally will also hear protests against charging for the care of dementia patients.

The move comes after the National Institute for Clinical Excellence said the group of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors was not costeffective and should not be available on the NHS.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "These preliminary guidelines will be terrible news for thousands of people with Alzheimer's disease."