Kymriah's benefit is urgently needed

We need to work with the government to save patient’s life

Leukemia patients have urged rapid health insurance registration of the first end-stage leukemia-Lymphoma CAR-T treatment, Kymriah.

 

Korea Leukmia patients organization asked the government to register Kymriah's benefit and pharmaceutical companies to come up with reasonable financial burdens to strengthen access to medicines for leukemia patients.

 

In a statement, the Korea Leukemia patients organization repeatedly called on the government to push for rapid health insurance benefits, including the introduction of Kymriah, at the fifth Cancer Drugs Benefit Appraisal Committee to be held on the 14th.

 

The organization called for a rapid health insurance registration system for new drugs directly linked to life, such as Kymriah.

 

It also added that Novartis Korea should come up with reasonable financial sharing measures to prevent the recurrence of some immuno-cancer drugs, which have delayed health insurance benefits due to controversy over high-dose financial sharing.

 

"Even if Kymriah is passed at the Cancer Drugs Benefit Appraisal Committee on the 14th, the health insurance benefit will not be completed until November this year at the earliest because the NHIS' negotiations and health insurance policy committee procedures are required," said the Korea Leukemia patients organization.

 

It said, "Most patients with recurrent or end-stage acute lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma die within three to six months.

 

If Kymriah is covered by health insurance in November, many of the 200 patients expected to be treated annually." It said, "It is a pity that patients who cannot afford to pay about 460 million won (non-reimbursed medical expenses disclosed on Samsung Medical Center's website) have to die while waiting for health insurance to be applied." "The government should complete health care benefits within six to seven months, just like Leclaza, the late-stage lung cancer treatment," the organization said.

 

The organization said, "In the case of Kymriah, the scope of 'new drugs directly related to life' should be determined through social discussions, and health insurance should be applied first by the HIRA." The organization also said that "the HIRA's Cancer Drugs Benefit Advisory Committee, the NHIS' Pharmacological Benefit Advice Committee, and the Health Insurance Policy Committee will take the lead." "Glibec, the world's first targeted treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia, was approved by the MFDS on June 20, 40 days after the FDA approved it in May 2001.

 

"In November, five months after the approval, the MOHW announced health insurance benefits.

 

Twenty years later, the Kymriah process should not be delayed than Glivec.

 

"Since August 30, 2017, when Kymria was approved by the U.S.

 

FDA, the issue of high-priced drug prices has been raised."