Mailbox Response

The question was submitted 18/11/2007

Subject: why are we so far behind?

Why are we so far behind the US in the drugs available to treat Alzheimers and Dementia?

I have friends in the US who are treating a spouse's dementia by using a combination of Aricept and Namenda (memantine) but when I asked my husband's neurologist about this combination he said it had just begun here as a drug trial and would not be available for six months or more and then probably not on the PBS.

As a carer one of my biggest frustrations is NOT getting access to the drugs I feel my husband needs. It is all very well to say they will be available in the future but what about NOW!

Answer from DementiaNet

In Australia we are actually not too far behind the US in terms of medications for dementia. We do have Namenda (memantine) available here, and it is indicated for use in moderate to moderately severe Alzheimers Disease. It is known as Ebixa in Australia and can be prescribed by your general practitioner (or neurologist) on a private prescription. It is not currently subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so you will need to pay the full price for it. `However if you have private health insurance you will be able to claim back a considerable amount of this.

There have been a number of trials in the past which show that memantine works effectively when combined with a cholinesterase inhibitor such as donepezil (Aricept), for moderate to moderately severe Alzheimers Disease. Memantine is also currently being used in dementia drug trials in Australia but this does not affect its general availability and you should be able to access this drug fairly quickly when you have a prescription for it.

The answer was published on DementiaNet 28/11/2007