The introduction of the hemophilia program three years ago improved the quality of life for those suffering from the disease, but even our closest neighbors are in a much better position, doctors and patients assessed at a conference devoted to the disease on Wednesday.
In Hungary, all hemophiliacs up to the age of 21 are treated with medicines containing so-called recombinant blood coagulation factors (obtained by genetic methods – PAP) – said Bogdan Gajewski, president of the Polish Association of Patients with Hemophilia. In the Czech Republic, patients under 15 years of age are treated in this way, and in Lithuania – 10 years. In Poland, only 10 children receive recombinant factors.
Health Minister Ewa Kopacz, who was present at the conference, retorted that the situation of patients with hemophilia in Poland was the result of many years of negligence of previous health ministers. Since 2007, the amount of drugs for haemophilia used in our country has more than doubled – from 2,1 to 4,5 international units per capita – emphasized Kopacz.
In 2008, a program for prophylactic treatment of hemophilia was introduced, which improved the quality of life of patients. Expenditure on the purchase of blood clotting factors increased from PLN 117 million in 2007 to PLN 200 million in 2010. If the previous health ministers had undertaken similar efforts, the situation of people with hemophilia would have been much better today, Minister Kopacz said.
In Hungary, in 1990, there was only 0,4 clotting factor units per inhabitant. In 2011, the use of these drugs will increase to 7,1 units, and Hungary will be in fourth place in Europe in this regard, said Gabor Varga, president of the Hungarian Haemophilia Association. He added that 35 percent. patients will receive recombinant blood coagulation factor, and the remaining patients will be treated with a traditional preparation obtained from blood plasma.
We have a strong hemophilia lobby, but such a significant improvement in their quality of life would not have been possible if all health ministers in Hungary over the past 20 years had not contributed to it, said Varga.
Prof. Jerzy Windyga from the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw assured that the preparations made of plasma used in Poland are safe. The sick have no reason to worry, he stressed at the conference. However, he admitted that recombinant clotting factors are even safer. It can never be ruled out that a new germ will emerge and spread through the blood and blood products.
The clotting factor can be produced from the plasma of 20. blood donors – said Gajewski. In his opinion, it is important to ensure that patients have the greatest possible access to recombinant blood coagulation factors.
These drugs include the future of hemophilia treatment, he added. This is favored by the drop in their price compared to the factors obtained from plasma. In 2010, recombinant factors were cheaper in England and Ireland than traditional ones, emphasized Gajewski. Plasma factors are no longer used in Western Europe.
The participants of the conference agreed that a hemophilia treatment center should be established to provide comprehensive care. A national hemophilia registry is needed. Prophylactic treatment should be extended. It should apply not only to patients up to 18 years of age, but also to those who are not yet 26 years old, especially when they have frequent bleeding.
Prophylactic treatment protects patients against joint damage and disability. It is profitable for the state budget, because in the future the sick will not have to be paid disability pensions – commented Bogdan Gajewski.
Haemophilia is a genetic disease where one of the clotting factors (factor VIII for haemophilia A or factor IX for haemophilia B) is deficient or absent in the blood. It causes that for patients Minor injuries and cuts are not dangerous for patients. recombinant blood coagulation factors (obtained by genetic methods – PAP) – said Bogdan Gajewski, president of the Polish Association of Patients with Hemophilia. In the Czech Republic, patients under 21 years of age are treated in this way, and in Lithuania – 15 years. In Poland, only 10 children receive recombinant factors.
Health Minister Ewa Kopacz, who was present at the conference, retorted that the situation of patients with hemophilia in Poland was the result of many years of negligence of previous health ministers. Since 2007, the amount of drugs for haemophilia used in our country has more than doubled – from 2,1 to 4,5 international units per capita – emphasized Kopacz.
In 2008, a program for prophylactic treatment of hemophilia was introduced, which improved the quality of life of patients. Expenditure on the purchase of blood clotting factors increased from PLN 117 million in 2007 to PLN 200 million in 2010. If the previous health ministers had undertaken similar efforts, the situation of people with hemophilia would have been much better today, Minister Kopacz said.
In Hungary, in 1990, there was only 0,4 clotting factor units per inhabitant. In 2011, the use of these drugs will increase to 7,1 units, and Hungary will be in fourth place in Europe in this regard, said Gabor Varga, president of the Hungarian Haemophilia Association. He added that 35 percent. patients will receive recombinant blood coagulation factor, and the remaining patients will be treated with a traditional preparation obtained from blood plasma.
We have a strong hemophilia lobby, but such a significant improvement in their quality of life would not have been possible if all health ministers in Hungary over the past 20 years had not contributed to it, said Varga.
Prof. Jerzy Windyga from the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw assured that the preparations made of plasma used in Poland are safe. The sick have no reason to worry, he stressed at the conference. However, he admitted that recombinant clotting factors are even safer. It can never be ruled out that a new germ will emerge and spread through the blood and blood products.
The clotting factor can be produced from the plasma of 20. blood donors – said Gajewski. In his opinion, it is important to ensure that patients have the greatest possible access to recombinant blood coagulation factors.
These drugs include the future of hemophilia treatment, he added. This is favored by the drop in their price compared to the factors obtained from plasma. In 2010, recombinant factors were cheaper in England and Ireland than traditional ones, emphasized Gajewski. Plasma factors are no longer used in Western Europe.
The participants of the conference agreed that a hemophilia treatment center should be established to provide comprehensive care. A national hemophilia registry is needed. Prophylactic treatment should be extended. It should apply not only to patients up to 18 years of age, but also to those who are not yet 26 years old, especially when they have frequent bleeding.
Prophylactic treatment protects patients against joint damage and disability. It is profitable for the state budget, because in the future the sick will not have to be paid disability pensions – commented Bogdan Gajewski.
Haemophilia is a genetic disease where one of the clotting factors (factor VIII for haemophilia A or factor IX for haemophilia B) is deficient or absent in the blood. It causes that internal bleeding, mainly into joints and muscles, is dangerous for patients. More serious injuries and cuts can even be life-threatening. In Poland, about 4 suffer from this disease. people.
Zbigniew Wojtasiński (PAP)