Patients with the 20 most deadly neoplasms in Poland have full access to only 29 out of 136 recommended therapies. Another 46 cancer drugs are reimbursed with limitations. The National Health Fund will not pay for the treatment of the rest - according to the data on the Onkoindex website.
Only every fifth modern cancer drug is fully available in Poland
Published Sept. 15, 2022 13:23
Oncofundacja Alivia is investigating how many therapies recommended by the European Society of Clinical Oncology (ESMO) can be used by Polish patients free of charge. The level of accessibility to therapy is determined by the Oncoindex index, which can range from 0 to 100 points. 0 is a total lack of treatment options, and 100 is full, free access to all therapies registered in the European Union in the last 15 years. The latest value of Oncoindex for Poland is only 33 out of 100 points.
As Joanna Frątczak-Kazana from the Alivia Oncofundation reminds us, the Medical Fund was established under the Act of 2020, one of the tasks of which was to finance innovative methods of treating rare diseases. Unfortunately, cancer patients do not see the effects of this fund.
- This fund has not financed any cancer treatments under the lists published by the Ministry of Health. Our organization includes patients who are denied emergency access to drug technologies. Doctors are applying, and the National Health Fund refuses to finance. And it is not about drugs listed on the so-called blacklist. It's a scandal. We hope that the President's promises will be fulfilled at least in part - says Joanna Frątczak-Kazana.
As he adds, we are not closing the gap between us and international guidelines. The ESMO recommendations include new therapies that can save the lives of thousands of patients, but Polish patients are deprived of this chance.
