What has NICE said?

Donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine are recommended as possible treatments for some people with Alzheimer's disease.

You should be able to have donepezil, galantamine or rivastigmine if you have mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. You should be able to have memantine if you have:

  • moderate Alzheimer's disease and cannot take donepezil, galantamine or rivastigmine or

  • severe Alzheimer's disease.

When assessing the severity of your Alzheimer's disease and the treatment needed, healthcare professionals should take into account any disabilities or difficulties in communicating that you might have.

Healthcare professionals should only prescribe these medicines on the advice of a clinician who has experience with Alzheimer's disease. This may be a doctor (such as a psychiatrist or your GP) or other healthcare professional (such as a nurse with special training).

What does this mean for me?

If you have Alzheimer's disease, and your doctor thinks that donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine or memantine is the right treatment, you should be able to have the treatment on the NHS.

Donezepil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine should have been available on the NHS since 2011.

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