Debates between the HMOs and the Ministry of Health regarding the inclusion of the drug Windmax in the basket, for a rare heart disease • Freddie receiving the drug: "I got my life back"
Drug Basket Committee
Photography:
GPO
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In recent discussions in the Drug Basket Committee, there have been difficult debates between some of the health funds and senior officials of the Ministry of Health, regarding the estimates of the appropriate patient data for new drugs discussed in the committee.
One of the drugs at the center of these conflicts is a new and expensive drug for a rare and life-threatening heart disease, cardiac amyloidosis, which senior cardiologists and patients are struggling to put in the basket.
This is the drug Windmax (Tapemidis), which is currently the only treatment that is suitable for their deadly disease.
Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by an instability of a protein that breaks down in the heart muscle and causes heart failure.
The drug of the American Pfizer, is the only drug for this rare disease.
According to senior cardiologists, the new drug is intended for about 330 patients at a cost of about NIS 150,000 a year per patient, and an annual budget of about NIS 50 million a year.
However, in the discussions of the basket committee, Clalit HMO representatives argued that, based on studies around the world, it is estimated that more than 2,000 patients a year may need the drug in Israel, which means a budget of hundreds of millions of shekels, which is impossible.
This assessment has already been opposed by senior doctors and some representatives of other health funds, as well as one of the top cardiologists in the country, who recently wrote to the basket committee that only 50-40 patients in the country will need the drug within about two years.
The decision will be made at the final discussions of the committee early next week.
The patients' struggle was revealed in "Israel Today" last October.
Israel Today also learned that last November, Prof. Arthur Pollak, director of the intensive care unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, wrote to the basket committee that "knowing that this is a disease that does not currently have treatment that prevents patients from deteriorating to death from severe heart failure "Three or four years, in my opinion, should the drug be included in the basket as a top priority."
Freddie Schwartz, 70, from Ramat Yishai, receives the medicine as part of Pfizer's "Compassion Project."
He said, "I got to the point where I was afraid I would suffocate from sleep. I felt like I was losing the joy of life. Since I started using the drug I have had my life back."
The Medicines Basket Committee stated: "Windmax is one of the medicines that are nominated for the basket (rated a9) and professional work is being done on the subject."