The spokesman for children’s rights, Marek Michalak, asked the Minister of Health, Ewa Kopacz, on Wednesday to allow interferon therapy for children under 16 years of age suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently, the National Health Fund does not refund treatment in this age group.
The information obtained during the investigation of the case, including the opinions of specialist doctors, shows that the effectiveness and legitimacy of administering interferon to children suffering from multiple sclerosis from the age of 12 has now been proven. It should be emphasized that this is the only drug that can be used in the treatment of MS. The administration of this preparation before the age of 16 reduces the number of relapses, and thus delays the reduction of the disability, which is its complication – writes Michalak.
The spokesman also points out that the monthly cost of interferon therapy is so high that it is unavailable for many sick children. He also emphasizes that in most European countries, the drug is already given to children from the age of 12.
The spokesman of the National Health Fund, Andrzej Troszyński, emphasized in an interview with PAP that the therapeutic program for patients with MS was developed by specialists in accordance with the registration instructions of the drug manufacturer. No clinical trials have been conducted in the case of children under the age of 16. There is no information on the use of the drug in children under 16 years of age. Limited data from the literature suggest that the safety profile in the 12-16 year old group is similar to that seen in adults, but it does not clearly confirm that the drug can be used safely in this group, he said. He did not rule out that changes are possible in the future, because – as he noted – pharmacotherapy is still developing.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, most often affecting people of working age – between the ages of 20 and 40. Children and people over 50 are also affected much less often. It manifests itself with disturbances in vision, sensation, speech, paresis and balance disorders.
It is estimated that around 2,5 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis, of which 500. in Europe. In Poland, there are approx. 50-60 thousand. sick. MS does not significantly affect life expectancy, but it often leads to disability – it is estimated that every second wheelchair user has MS, in Poland 75%. patients retire less than 2 years after diagnosis.
For over a dozen years, immunomodulating drugs (interferon-beta and glatimer acetate) have been available, which allow many patients to effectively alleviate relapses of this disease and slow down its development, and thus prevent disability (PAP).