KAPO ‘CDDC should pass Keytruda’s reimb extension agenda’

During its meeting on the 12th

Urged for immediate expansion of reimbursement through a statement... “Patients are missing out on appropriate treatment”

A patient group has called for the immediate expansion of the coverage of the immuno-oncology drug 'Keytruda'.

 

With the National Health Insurance Service's Cancer Disease Deliberation Committee scheduled to meet on the 12th, the group is asking for the establishment of reimbursement standards to strengthen patient access to treatment.

 

In a statement issued on the 10th, the Korea Alliance of Patients Organization (KAPO) said, “Immuno-oncology drugs are innovative treatments that have changed the paradigm of cancer treatment.

 

While conventional anticancer drugs directly attack cancer cells, the immuno-oncology drugs activate the patient's immune system to eliminate cancer cells on their own, providing new treatment opportunities for cancer patients who have experienced limitations with existing treatments.” Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a representative immuno-oncology drug that was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2014.

 

It was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in July 2015, and currently has 31 and 39 approved indications, respectively.

 

In Korea, it was first approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on March 6, 2015, for the treatment of inoperable or metastatic melanoma.

 

Since then, its indications have been expanded, and a total of 34 indications have been approved for 16 different types of cancer.

 

Although Keytruda has many indications, only a few are covered by national health insurance.

 

As KAPO pointed out, only 7 indications are covered by national health insurance for 4 types of cancer: non-small cell lung cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, melanoma, and urothelial carcinoma.

 

This is significantly less than what is covered in the UK (19), Canada (18), and Australia (14).

 

Currently, discussions on the expansion of the coverage of Keytruda in Korea are underway, starting with a request for the expansion of coverage for 13 indications in 2023, followed by an additional 4 indications in 2024, for a total of 17 indications.

 

KAPO pointed out, “While discussions on reimbursement extensions have been delayed for the second year, patients are missing out on appropriate treatment opportunities.

 

The damage that patients suffered due to the delay in expanding the coverage of the first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in 2017 should not be repeated.” He also urged, “Treatments should be a door of hope for the patients.

 

However, the government and pharmaceutical companies are now making patients wait behind closed doors.

 

The government and pharmaceutical companies should not delay expanding coverage of Keytruda any longer on the issue of sharing the financial burden.” KAPO said, “We urge the Cancer Disease Deliberation Committee to pass Keytruda’s reimbursement extension proposal on the 12th, at the first CDDC meeting in 2025.

 

The drug reimbursement adequacy evaluation by the Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee and the drug pricing negotiations between the National Health Insurance Service and pharmaceutical companies should be carried out promptly thereafter.

 

The government and pharmaceutical companies should no longer postpone their responsibilities.”