Free treatment for select leukaemia patients

International pharmaceutical giant Novartis will give free treatment to select leukaemia patients registered with the National Health Security Office.

Published on November 14, 2007

According to Health Ministry senior official Dr Wichai Chokevivat, who leads the compulsory licensing committee, Novartis will provide its imatinib treatment, which goes under the trade name Glivec.

Health security office members with gold cards only are eligible. Members of the Social Security Office system and Civil Servants Medical Benefit Scheme are not eligible.

Wichai said a contract would be signed with the company soon.

He said the ministry continued to seek price reductions from Sanofi-Aventis for its docetaxel treatment called Taxotere and from OSI Pharmaceuticals for its erlotinib treatment called Tarceva. They are all for cancer.

The Nation

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Free treatment for select leukaemia patients

International pharmaceutical giant Novartis will give free treatment to select leukaemia patients registered with the National Health Security Office.

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