NICE faces legal challenge over Alzheimer's drug

doi:10.1136/bmj.39168.342523.DB

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Clare Dyer, legal correspondent

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the NHS drugs gatekeeper for England and Wales, faces the first legal challenge to one of its decisions restricting the use of a drug by the NHS.

The High Court gave the go ahead this week to a drug company to bring judicial review proceedings over restrictions on the use of donepezil (Aricept), which is used to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Guidance from NICE, which does cost-benefit …