Why treat hepatitis C in Vietnam 10 times more expensive in other countries
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a serious disease caused by invading viruses cause liver cells. HCV enters the body through the blood and attack the liver cells and proliferate to make liver cells swell and kills liver cells.
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a serious disease caused by invading viruses cause liver cells. HCV enters the body through the blood and attack the liver cells and proliferate to make liver cells swell and kills liver cells.
According to statistics in Vietnam, 80% of those infected with HCV may become a chronic disease (chronic). For the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in Vietnam to buy drugs for about 45 million / treatment course, 10 times higher than patients in countries Egypt, India … So, Natural where’s due?
Assessment of the status of hepatitis B in Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the countries with the number of people with viral hepatitis (hepatitis B and C) at a high level in the region, with about 3 million patients with hepatitis C virus infection requiring treatment (incidence estimates from 0 2-4% of the population) and several million patients of hepatitis B (virus population rate of 6-20%). However, at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, 750 patients are being treated for hepatitis C.
End of 2016 if the drugs covered by insurance may be put into national treatment guidelines, patients have access to new drugs increased by about 2,000 people, far below the number needed to treat. As for hepatitis B treatment due to cost has decreased, the number of patients given the drug had increased.
One of the main reasons patients do not have the medication is too high drug prices. A survey of patients, Mr. Glass said if the insurance support, medical bills under 3 million / 43% of treatment, the patient can afford. Where part of the payment of 10 million / treatment, only 10% of patients can afford the medical bills.
Answered causes
While Egypt patients treated with prices around 200 USD / treatment course, patients India around 250 USD / course (drug use version, also called generics), the drug prices 10 times in VN , about 45 million / therapy process. That’s not including the cost of testing, measuring viral load after treatment.
Before this reality, Mr. Nguyen Van Kinh – director of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said, if actively negotiating, negotiating with drug suppliers, to the 2017 price this drug can reduce about 700-800 USD / therapy process, however, is still high compared with many countries in the region.
Earlier, 5-2016 months, Vietnam has had regulations on negotiation, negotiation of drug prices with the drug being exclusive, high prices or use drugs with larger numbers. But the Health Ministry later issued national treatment guidelines, including clear guidance to drug use insurance payments basis, so patients medical insurance inaccessible disease treatment hepatitis C.
Expected before month 9/2016, the Ministry of Health will issue national guidelines treat hepatitis C, then the process of negotiations on drug prices. Therefore, if drug prices are negotiated can reduce the insurance will pay 50-70% of the cost of treating hepatitis C since 2017.