Spinal muscular atrophy drug subsidy 'set for adults'
Michael Tien, standing centre, hopes the new arrangement to widen the application of a subsidy to more spinal muscular atrophy patients can be implemented within months. Photo: RTHK
More Hong Kong patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will be able to enjoy a government subsidy to control the symptoms of their disorder with two drugs, Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien said.
Currently, only infants and children suffering from two types of SMA, a group of neuromuscular disorders, are entitled to government assistance to purchase the drugs – Nusinersen and Risdiplam.
The health authorities, Tien said on Friday, have recently given the green light for adult patients suffering from two other types of the disorder to apply for the subsidy as well.
Tien said he aims to push for the new arrangement to be implemented before his Legco term ends by the end of the year.
He also urged the government to refer to mainland data in vetting drugs in the future.
'Hong Kong experts, when they decide whether to use public money to help patients with a particular disease, look at their own research…they look at worldwide papers,' Tien said.
'My argument is that those [patients] are not of the same race as us, our blood types are different, our DNAs are different.
"Why can't the Hong Kong government look more at the mainland situation?'
Tien also said the newly introduced 1+ mechanism that speeds up registration of new drugs in Hong Kong will also facilitate the SAR in price negotiations with global pharmaceutical companies.
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