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Alzheimer’s drugs: officially disappointing

The French National Authority for Health (Haute autorité de santé – HAS) has finally acknowledged that drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease do not deter its progression. Human and social care is crucial for patients suffering from this disease.

The French committee that assesses the medical benefits of new drugs and provides recommendations on drug reimbursement (La Commission française de la transparence) has re-evaluated the “improvement in medical benefit” (ASMR) of four drugs indicated for Alzheimer’s disease: donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine. It lowered the ASMR rating it had previously given from “significant” to “minor”.

The Committee concluded that “there is no evidence” that these drugs’ deter the disease’s progression.

This rating now gives a more realistic indication of these drugs’ true benefit. According to the results of clinical trials, their efficacy is very limited and they cause numerous adverse effects. It is above all as a result of intensive hype, and not of convincing evaluation that these drugs came to be seen as a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

On the other hand, human and social care for Alzheimer’s sufferers is crucial.

©Prescrire March 2008

Source: "Médicaments de la maladie d’Alzheimer : ASMR à la baisse" Rev Prescrire 2008 ; 28 (293) : 177

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