Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of novel treatments on the unpaid care costs associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. In developing its recommendations, NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health-related benefits to carers, but does not consider wider costs and benefits.

NICE is currently developing recommendations for the NHS on whether two new licensed medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be routinely funded by the NHS and has not yet published final guidance. NICE’s recommendations on the use of the treatments have been appealed and the appeals are being considered through the established process.