The MOHW expressed reluctance to Keytruda's primary benefit

It is difficult to manage drug prices even in the evaluation system

The patient is under a lot of pressure

Minister Kwon Deok-cheol (photo = provided by the National Assembly

Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol expressed reluctance to applying MSD immuno-cancer drug Keytruda as a primary treatment for lung cancer, citing enormous health insurance financial needs.

 

On the 6th, Minister Kwon responded to a question from Kang Sun-woo (the Democratic Party of Korea) at the National Assembly Welfare Committee's parliamentary audit.

 

He pointed out that when lung cancer was first treated with Keytruda, it was more effective in treating diseases than when used as a secondary treatment.

 

He introduced that the U.S.

 

NCC guidelines also recommend Keytruda as a priority in single and combined therapy.

 

He criticized that unlike overseas countries such as the United States, Korea is applying benefits so that Keytruda can only be used as a secondary treatment in the event of a traditional chemotherapy failure, increasing the burden on patients.

 

He said, "It costs 7 million won a month for lung cancer patients to spend Keytruda at their own expense from the first treatment.

 

He said,"if it is administered every month, about 100 million won per year is needed.

 

52 countries around the world have already applied the primary benefit, and 31 OECD countries have also recognized the primary benefit." He then asked Minister Kwon Deok-cheol if he had any plans, such as a system that is registered first and then evaluated for Keytruda benefits or a separate cancer fund.

 

Minister Kwon replied that the pre-registration & post-evaluation system is also under comprehensive review in consideration of the financial burden of health insurance and difficulties in managing drug prices.

 

He explained, "If Keytruda, the current secondary treatment, is allowed as the primary treatment, it will affect huge health insurance finances, so there should be a (cost-effectiveness) evaluation." He said, "In the system, it becomes reasonably difficult to manage drug prices because the health insurance finance has to pay the drug price at the time of pre-registration." "We need to comprehensively review that," he added.