[Anti-dementia drugs for dementia syndromes--just unkept promises?].

The present study situation confirms the efficacy of donepezil, galantamine, ginkgo biloba EGb 761, memantine and rivastigmine for Alzheimer's disease. These substances neither cure the disease nor halt its progression. However, they do improve the symptoms for a substantial portion of the patients for a significant length of time and, thus, increase the options for treatment and facilitate the care. Hence, these substances afford many patients and their caregivers a relevant therapeutic success. More transparency must be demanded of reviews, meta-analyses, guidelines or assessments undertaken by governmental bodies; otherwise their conclusions remain equivocal. Transparency must mean that it is clear who prepares the document, to whom it applies and which connections exist to science, media, politics, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other interest groups.