The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister for Medical Care to not reimburse niraparib-abiraterone (Akeega®) from the basic health care package. This medicinal product can be used in certain patients with metastatic prostate cancer. The reason for this advice was the placing of the medicinal product in the so-called ‘lock procedure’ for expensive medicinal products’. It has not been demonstrated that this medicinal product has an added value for this patient group.
Current state of affairs: advisory report sent to the Minister
The National Health Care Institute has sent this advice to the Minister for Medical Care. The Minister makes the final decision whether or not to reimburse the medication from the basic health care package.
Niraparib-abiraterone is intended for certain people with metastatic prostate cancer
Niraparib-abiraterone is the active substance. The brand name is Akeega®. The medicinal product is a tablet that is ingested.
The medicinal product can be used for people with metastatic prostate cancer. This is also called metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma (mCRPC). Prostate cancer is caused by the division of malignant cells. It changes the structure of the glandular ducts. In metastatic prostate cancer, the cancer has metastasised to the lymph nodes or other organs, such as the bones or abdomen. At that stage, the disease is incurable. The reimbursement application focused on patients with mCRPC and a genetic abnormality in the BReast CAncer genes (BRCA1/2). They have a more aggressive disease course and often become prematurely resistant to treatments.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of niraparib-abiraterone
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister for Medical Care to not reimburse niraparib-abiraterone Akeega®) from the basic health care package, The medicinal product does not lead to longer patient survival, but it does lead to multiple adverse side effects. As such, niraparib-abiraterone has no added value compared to the standard treatment. The standard treatment consists of the medicinal product abiraterone or enzalutamide.
More information or questions?
If you have any questions about this advice, please send your question to the National Health Care Institute via warcg@zinl.nl. If you have questions about the reimbursement of a medicinal product, the personal expenses or whether you should pay a contribution, please ask your health insurance provider.
How did the advice come about?
The Scientific Advisory Board (WAR) advises the National Health Care Institute about the assessment. The Minister makes the final decision whether or not to reimburse the medication from the basic health care package.