Last shown: 18th & 25th May, BBC One (Sign Zone)
Originally shown: 4th & 11th February, BBC Two
Determined to prevent it if he possibly can, Terry Pratchett took a personal journey through the science and the reality of what it's like to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
This two part documentary followed Terry's race to find a cure as he endeavoured to find ways of slowing, mitigating or even reversing its course.
BBC Headroom has a dedicated number, 0800 0933 193, for anyone who is affected (directly or indirectly) by Alzheimer's disease. The number is free to call from a BT landline. Calls from other operators and mobile phone lines may incur a cost.
Watch some personal stories of living with Alzheimer's below, and on Video Nation. For more advice, download our Understanding Alzheimer's factsheet (736 Kb - Adobe Acrobat is required to download PDF files).
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Patrick and his wife talk about how their lives have changed since Patrick was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Since May 2006, three Alzheimer's drugs which temporarily improve or stabilise conditions, have not been made available to NHS patients in the early stages of the disease.
The government watchdog NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) believed that although the drugs were clinically proven, they were not cost-effective for the tens of thousands of people in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
However in May 2008, the Court of Appeal said that NICE should allow public access to the health economic model that it used to make its decision.
This will not change the situaiton for NHS patients in the short term, but it could mean further challenges to the NICE position. The Alzheimer's Society has worked with experts to scrutinise the model and has made confidential submissions to NICE on its calculations. It is awaiting NICE's response.
In the interview above, Terry Pratchett speaks to Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, head of NICE, about the situation.
This guide gives an introduction to Alzheimer's disease and information on reducing your risk of developing dementia.
See more personal stories about coping with Alzheimer's at Video Nation
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