Complaint against the plan to reduce benefits of α-GPC

More than 100 pharmaceutical companies meeting for revaluation of benefits

Pharmaceutical companies agreed to file a complaint against the government's plan to reduce the reimbursement of Choline alfoscerate.

 

It is suggested that the co-payment rate be lowered for reasons such as high cognitive impairment and brain-related diseases with high prescription rates.

 

According to the industry on the 29th, more than 100 executives from pharmaceutical companies with Choline alfoscerate had an emergency meeting on that day and sought a response strategy to the government's policy to reduce the benefit.

 

Gliatamin byDaewoong Bio & Gliatilin by Chong Kun Dang

At the meeting, which was conducted by online video conference, it was agreed that an appeal would be needed to reduce the coverage of Choline alfoscerate.

 

The HIRA held the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee on the 11th to deliberate the appropriateness of the choline alfoscerate formulation, and then decided positive list system according to efficacy and effectiveness.

 

Choline alfoscerate is a drug that has three indications: ▲secondary symptoms and degenerative or degenerative cerebral stromal psychological syndrome ▲emotional and behavioral changes ▲senile pseudodepression.

 

When a patient diagnosed with dementia uses this drug for the purpose of improving symptoms such as cognitive impairment, the copayment rate of 30% is maintained as before.

 

However, dementia patients only pay 10% copayment.

 

However, if a patient who has not been diagnosed with dementia is prescribed a Choline alfoscerate product, it increases from 30% to 80%.

 

The prescription performance of choline alfoscerate last year was ₩352.5 billion.

 

Among them, the diagnosis of dementia patients whose benefits are maintained as in the past was only ₩60 billion, only 17% of the total.

 

More than 80% of the prescriptions for Choline alfoscerate drugs increase the patient's drug burden by 2.7%.

 

Pharmaceutical companies shared a strategy to lead to a downward adjustment of the co-payment rate through appeals against areas where the drug cost burden rate will increase to 80%.

 

To this end, it was reported that each area discussed the need for a response strategy that provides a basis for refuting the health authorities' decision.

 

In the near future, the HIRA will notify pharmaceutical companies of the conversion of Choline alfoscerate formulations to a positive list system determined by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

 

In response, pharmaceutical companies can appeal only once.

 

In addition to dementia for which an increase in the co-payment rate has been announced, the strategy of pharmaceutical companies is to actively lead to a downward adjustment of the co-payment rate in the areas of mild cognitive impairment and other brain-related diseases in 'Secondary symptoms and degenerative or degenerative brain-based psychotic syndrome due to cerebrovascular defects'.

 

The health authorities decided to re-evaluate the Choline alfoscerate product, taking into account its clinical usefulness, cost effectiveness, and social needs.

 

However, pharmaceutical companies believe that in the case of mild cognitive impairment and other brain-related diseases, the 30% of copayment should be applied or lowered to 50%.

 

There are not many drugs to replace for mild cognitive impairment and brain-related diseases of Choline alfoscerate and they said that it is unfair to increase the copayment rate under high social demand.

 

In the case of mild cognitive impairment and brain-related diseases, which are serious diseases, it has been reported that despite the clinical usefulness, patients may be deprived of treatment opportunities if their drug burden increases.

 

Pharmaceutical companies believe that mild cognitive impairment may increase the risk of dementia in the future, so treatment through drug administration is important.

 

Studies have been reported that Choline alfoscerate is effective in mild cognitive impairment and brain-related disorders, but it has been reported that it has not been reflected in the re-evaluation of reimbursement.

 

Last year, in mild cognitive impairment and other brain-related diseases, Choline alfoscerate formulations showed prescription performances of ₩252.8 billion, more than 70% of the total prescription amount.

 

The pharmaceutical company believes that the positive list system of Choline alfoscerate formulations is confirmed, which can lead to a reduction in prescriptions if the patient's drug burden increases.

 

The meeting did not discuss the clinical re-evaluation of Choline alfoscerate formulation recently announced by the MFDS.

 

On the 23rd, the MFDS ordered 255 items from 134 companies to submit domestic clinical trial results.

 

It was instructed to submit a clinical trial plan by December 23 if a clinical trial is conducted.