Council gives in over million dollar medicine
A 20-year-old Swede denied treatment for incurable Hunter Syndrome has been allowed to keep his medicine after previously being told the treatment would be withdrawn.
"The county council will pay for the medicine until we solve the question as a matter of principle," said council spokesman Anders Fridell. The council expects the review to take two months.
Kalle Dejemyr had been receiving treatment for three years as part of a clinical trial for Elaprase, produced by Shire Pharmaceuticals. The Karolinska University Hospital said it would not continue his treatment once the company stopped funding it.
The drug significantly improved Dejemyr's quality of life, but the 10 million kronor ($1.5 million) annual cost was judged too high by the hospital's ethical board. Elaprase is one of the most expensive medicines ever produced.
Kalle Dejemyr's father, Johan, welcomed the decision.
"This means everything. Now we can relax - we have lived with this stress since the beginning of March when we realized that there were problems."
"They are admittedly only saying that they will pay for the medicine for two months, but it still feels like they have realized their mistake and pay out."
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"The county council will pay for the medicine until we solve the question as a matter of principle," said council spokesman Anders Fridell. The council expects the review to take two months.
Kalle Dejemyr had been receiving treatment for three years as part of a clinical trial for Elaprase, produced by Shire Pharmaceuticals. The Karolinska University Hospital said it would not continue his treatment once the company stopped funding it.
The drug significantly improved Dejemyr's quality of life, but the 10 million kronor ($1.5 million) annual cost was judged too high by the hospital's ethical board. Elaprase is one of the most expensive medicines ever produced.
Kalle Dejemyr's father, Johan, welcomed the decision.
"This means everything. Now we can relax - we have lived with this stress since the beginning of March when we realized that there were problems."
"They are admittedly only saying that they will pay for the medicine for two months, but it still feels like they have realized their mistake and pay out."
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