Brazil signs an agreement to purchase Zolgensma for R$5.7 million. The initial installment is 1.1 million reais, but the others will only be sent if the child gets better
For the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (AME) in infants up to 6 months, the Ministry of Health signed an unprecedented agreement with the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis on Wednesday (14). The contract provides that the single dose of the drug Zolgensma — one of the three most expensive drugs in the world — will cost BRL 5.7 million, but the payment will only be completed if the treatment is effective. The initial installment is R $ 1.1 million.
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Therefore, Zolgensma will be available in the Unified Health System (SUS)🇧🇷 Initially the agreement allows the purchase of up to 250 doses in the first two years and another forty will be provided free of charge if necessary. Assuming all AME treatments are successful, Health will spend $1.42 billion to purchase this gene therapy.
When to use Zolgensma?
According to the healthcare negotiation, Zolgensma will be indicated only for the pediatric treatment of AME, a rare genetic disease, in children up to 6 months. This degenerative condition interferes with the body’s ability to produce a protein essential for the survival of motor neurons, responsible for the body’s vital voluntary actions.
In other words, the person begins to progressively atrophy the muscles, which makes it difficult for the patient to move. It also affects the ability to breathe and swallow food. In many cases, without treatment, the condition is fatal.
When will the drug for the treatment of AME arrive in Brazil?
“Zolgensma must be available in the Sus within 180 days and must also be included in the list of the National Supplementary Health Agency (Ans) within the same period”, informs the Ministry of Health, in a note. So far the file has not specified which medical centers will receive the gene therapy. Due to the high cost, security operations are required to prevent theft.🇧🇷
What will it be like to buy one of the most expensive medicines in the world?
In the negotiations between Saúde and Novartis, it was defined that the total value of the dose (R$ 5.7 million) will be divided into five installments of equal value – each will cost R$ 1.1 million -, paid each 12 months. The first installment is deposited when Zolgensma is applied, but the other four will be received only if the medicine triggers the expected effect.
“The payment was defined in five annual installments, of 20% of the value each, according to the expected results”, summarizes the file on treatments that could save the lives of children with AME.
Source: Ministry of Health
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Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
