Innovatieve kankermedicijnen: “Dure achterkamertjespolitiek”
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Het Vlaams Belang is uiteraard niet tegen innovatie in de farmasector, maar vindt dat het besteden van overheidsgeld op een efficiënte en transparante manier moet gebeuren. “Het Federaal Kenniscentrum voor de Gezondheidszorg (KCE) heeft een kritisch rapport afgeleverd over de meerwaarde van bepaalde innovatieve kankermedicijnen”, zegt federaal volksvertegenwoordiger Dominiek Sneppe (Vlaams Belang). “Het Europees Geneesmiddelenagentschap gaf wel de vergunningen maar trok de meerwaarde van deze medicijnen niet in vraag en nu heeft het KCE moeten vaststellen dat de helft van deze medicijnen zelfs helemaal geen effect heeft. Toch draait de belastingbetaler hiervoor op.”
Het betreft een reeks kankermedicijnen die enkel worden toegediend bij patiënten waar de kanker reeds in een vergevorderd stadium is en waarbij er geen enkele kans bestaat op genezing. Deze medicijnen zouden volgens de fabrikanten ‘ietwat’ levensverlengend zijn en de ‘kwaliteit’ van het leven verbeteren. “De terugbetaling van deze medicijnen beliep in 2007 nog 140 miljoen euro maar de kost is intussen opgelopen tot meer dan 1 miljard euro per jaar”, aldus Sneppe. “Terwijl de terugbetaling van deze medicijnen was gekoppeld aan een evidence-based overeenkomst wordt dit niet gecontroleerd omdat de klinische studies en de data niet worden vrijgegeven.”
“De burger heeft ook wat kankermedicijnen betreft het recht om te weten waar zijn belastinggeld aan gespendeerd wordt”
Het probleem is dat het Ministerie van Volksgezondheid enkel ‘geheime overeenkomsten’ maakt met de farmasector waar zelfs het Rekenhof slechts in heel uitzonderlijke gevallen inzage in krijgt. “Dat is een verwerpelijke manier van werken”, vervolgt Sneppe. “Als blijkt dat sommige kankermedicijnen het beoogde resultaat niet halen moet men die niet meer terugbetalen, maar die vrijgekomen middelen investeren in nieuw onderzoek.”
Het Vlaams Belang zal minister van Volksgezondheid Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) hierover aan de tand voelen. “In het regeerakkoord stond namelijk duidelijk dat men de terugbetaling van deze innovatieve geneesmiddelen zou laten afhangen van het evidence-based principe”, besluit Sneppe. “Het is nu aan de minister om kleur te bekennen en actie te ondernemen.” Bovendien eist het Vlaams Belang volledige openheid rond deze zogenaamde ‘geheime contracten’ en alle resultaten van de klinische studies, zodat wetenschappers met kennis van zaken dit kunnen beoordelen.