Drug prices are the key to easing the PAH benefit standard

the debate on establishing measures to improve the survival rate of PAH (pulmonary arterial hypertension)

reparing amendments such as indicators standards" Announcement of negotiations between the MOHW and pharmaceutical companies

The opinions were fully reflected

There is a possibility that PAH tx benefit standard, which has been criticized by strict standards, will be eased.

 

As the HIRA mentioned that it has prepared an amendment that fully reflects the opinions of the society on the application indicators of combination therapy and the initial three-drug combination pointed out as a problem, the public has passed over to the MOHW.

 

On the 15th, the Korean guideline for diagnosis and treatment of treatment and the Korean Pulmonary Hypertension Association held a National Assembly debate with Heo Jong-sik, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, to establish measures to improve the survival rate of patients with PAH.

 

In Korea, the three-year average survival rate of patients with PAH is only 54.3%, ranking the lowest among OECD countries, and very low compared to 82.9% in Japan and 73% in the United States.

 

The main reason for this is that unlike global treatment guidelines, which are recommended to use combination therapy from the beginning, combination therapy is only possible in high-risk groups in Korea.

 

As a result of The Korean Society of Cardiology and the Korea Lung Arterial Hypertension Patients Association filing complaints about the revision of standards, the HIRA held an expert advisory committee with related societies in July to discuss the validity of the revision.

 

Pulmonary hypertension, a rare disease, improves the prognosis if diagnosed quickly and treated appropriately.

 

As the mortality rate varies significantly depending on the active use of drugs in the early stages, the association requested to ease the indicator criteria for combination therapy and increase the choice of combination therapy drugs from the beginning.

 

Park Jae-hyung, a cardiology professor at Chungnam National University Hospital, said, "The problem with the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in Korea is that the treatment is delayed because the conditions for starting the combination therapy are high," adding, "Please lower the standard and lift the restrictions on the choice of combination therapy." In this regard, the HIRA also said it reflected the opinions of academia and patient associations as much as possible.

 

Ha Sung-hee, head of the drug standard department at the HIRA Drug Management Office, said, "There are not many diseases in which domestic treatment guidelines are made, but it is quite encouraging that domestic treatment guidelines have been established for rare diseases such as PAH." She said, "Based on this, we had a meeting with experts from the society in July to prepare an amendment to the benefit standards, and we organized the contents and reported them to the MOHW." In the debate, questions flooded about the exact timing of improvement in the standard because the survival rate within three years was only half.

 

"We need to take a close look at various financial capabilities," Ha said adding, "We know that many people are waiting because there are follow-up procedures such as administrative notices to announce, but please understand that it takes time." The MOHW also suggested the possibility of expanding the salary standard through drug price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies.

 

Yang Yoon-seok, head of the insurance drug division at the MOHW, said, "As the association has created medical guidelines, it seems desirable to meet health insurance benefits as much as possible." He said, "We are looking at the revision that came up after a meeting of the expert advisory committee in July." He said, "We will review from the patient's point of view how those suffering from the disease can be properly treated." He explained, "We are reviewing whether to expand benefits based on cost effectiveness, and we think PAH needs measures not only in drugs but also in the areas of diagnosis and follow-up management."