The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to reimburse bimekizumab (Bimzelx®)
from the basic health care package. This medicinal product can be used in certain patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. This is a chronic disease with skin inflammations. The reason for this advice was the placing of the medicinal product in the so-called ‘lock procedure’ for expensive medicinal products.
Current state of affairs: advisory report sent to the Minister
The National Health Care Institute has sent this advice to the Minister of VWS. The Minister makes the final decision whether or not to reimburse the medicinal product from the basic health care package.
Bimekizumab is intended for certain people with hidradenitis suppurativa
Bimekizumab is the active substance. The brand name is Bimzelx®. The medicinal product is an injection into the skin that can be self-administered with a pre-filled pen or syringe.
The medicinal product can be used for people with hidradenitis suppurativa. Hidradenitis suppurativa is also called acne inversa. This is a chronic disease with skin inflammations. In this case, chronic means that the disease does not go away.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of bimekizumab
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport to reimburse bimekizumab (Bimzelx®) from the basic health care package. The National Health Care Institute also recommends that the cost of the medicinal product should not exceed the cost of current treatment with adalimumab, infliximab or secukinumab.
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 National Health Care Institute advises the Minister when issuing package advice. The final decision as to whether or not reimbursement from the basic health care package will take place lies with the Minister.
Explanation of lock procedure for expensive medicinal products
The Minister has placed bimekizumab for this indication in the lock procedure for expensive medicinal products. A medication in this lock procedure will not be eligible for reimbursement from the basic health care package until:
• there is a positive package advice from the National Health Care Institute;
• there are arrangements and safeguards for appropriateness in place;
• price reductions have been successfully negotiated with the marketing authorisation holder.
For more information, see the page ‘Lock procedure for expensive medicinal products’.