Belgium will reimburse expensive spinal muscular atrophy medicine

By Ali Ufuk Seker

BRUSSELS (AA) - Belgium decided to reimburse expensive spinal muscular atrophy medicine, Zolgensma, its Health Minister said Friday.

“Access to such important medicine should no longer depend on collection campaigns,” Frank Vandenbroucke said in a statement

He said the government reached a deal with Zolgensma’s producer, Novartis, and noted reimbursement will start in December.

Children with the painful disorder will be able to access the gene therapy free of charge under certain conditions, said Vandenbroucke.

The reimbursement will be full and cover children up to 2 years old or those weighing less than 13.5 kilograms (29 pounds) with symptomatic SMA type one or patients who are presymptomatic with up to three copies of SMN2 genes, he said.

Without treatment, a baby diagnosed with type one of the disease would have a life expectancy of up to two years.

Zolgensma can cost up to €2 million ($2.4 million) in Belgium.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk