The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to reimburse to reimburse risankizumab (Skyrizi®) from the basic health care package. This medicinal product can be used in certain patients with ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the intestines. The reason for this advice was the placing of the medicinal product in the so-called ‘lock procedure for expensive medicinal products’.
Risankizumab is intended for certain people with ulcerative colitis
Risankizumab is the active substance; the brand name is Skyrizi®. The product is administered in 2 parts. The first part is administered via an IV. The second part is administered by subcutaneous injections.
The medicinal product can be used in certain people with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the intestines. Chronic means that the condition will never go away completely. Patients may have periods when the disease is more or less active. They may experience diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss and a general feeling of discomfort. If the inflammation does not decrease, it may be necessary to remove part of the intestines. This might be the case for adult patients in whom it has not proved possible to bring the condition under control with a TNF-alpha inhibitor. TNF-alpha inhibitors are a widely-used form of treatment for this condition.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of risankizumab
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport to reimburse risankizumab (Skyrizi®) from the basic health care package.
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 Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) asks the National Health Care Institute to carry out an assessment. The final decision as to whether or not reimbursement from the basic healthcare package will take place lies with the Minister.
Lock procedure for expensive medicinal products
The Minister has placed risankizumab for this indication in the lock procedure for expensive medicinal products. A medicinal product 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 manufacturer.
For more information, see the page ‘Lock procedure for expensive medicinal products’.