There are currently around 820,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the UK. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting 62% of dementia patients in the UK. This irreversible, progressive brain disorder gradually destroys memory, reasoning and thinking skills, and may eventually leave patients unable to carry out even the simplest tasks. Despite its burden, Alzheimer’s remains a relatively overlooked disease, with just 2.5% of the government’s medical research budget devoted to dementia.

Alzheimer’s patients in England and Wales can now be prescribed treatment from the mild stages of the disease. New National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance comes into effect on 23rd March, marking a significant change to an earlier 2007 ruling which restricted access to patients with moderate disease only. As a result of NICE’s decision, patients previously denied treatment may consider revisiting their GP to discuss what has been made available to them.

The new guidance supports the Department of Health’s National Dementia Strategy which encourages the active management of Alzheimer’s disease to minimise the burden of the condition on patients, their carers and society. In addition, the need for greater access to dementia-specific treatments is in line with the recent Alzheimer’s Disease International report which calls for governments to make dementia a higher health priority, to help tackle the huge burden of the disease.