Advice - reimburse keto- and hydroxyanalogues (Ketosteril®) for the treatment of severe kidney disease
The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister for Medical Care to reimburse keto- and hydroxyanalogues (Ketosteril®) in combination with a very low protein diet from the basic health care package. This medicinal product can be used to treat certain patients with chronic kidney disease and impaired renal function that has decreased so much that kidney dialysis or a transplant may soon be needed. If the Minister adopts our advice, keto- and hydroxyanalogues will be included in the Medicine Reimbursement System (GVS). Only then, this medicinal product will be reimbursed from the health care insurer's basic health care package. We do recommend additional conditions for reimbursement.
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 medicinal product from the basic health care package.
Keto- and hydroxyanalogues are intended for certain people with severe kidney disease
Keto- and hydroxyanalogues are the active substances. The brand name is Ketosteril®. The medicinal product is a tablet that you swallow.
It can be used by people with very severe kidney disease, also called severe renal impairment. The kidneys filter urea, which is excreted through urine. In people with very poor kidney function, the toxic urea accumulates in the body. This causes kidney damage, among other things. As a result, kidney function further deteriorates. This will ultimately lead to kidney failure, which will require kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. The aim of the treatment is to ensure that patients with very poor kidney function take in much less protein and can thus postpone the start of kidney dialysis as long as possible.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of keto- and hydroxyanalogues
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister for Medical Care to reimburse keto- and hydroxyanalogues (Ketosteril®) from the basic health care package under certain conditions. The recommendation is to include the medicinal product in List 1B of the GVS. Certain additional conditions, the so-called List 2 conditions, apply for Ketosteril®.
For more information on the GVS and the Lists 1A, 1B and 2, see page ‘Reimbursement of outpatient medicinal products (GVS)’.
Conditions for the reimbursement of keto- and hydroxyanalogues
More information or questions?
If you have any questions about this advice, please send them to the National Health Care Institute via warcg@zinl.nl. If you have questions about the reimbursement of a medicinal product, 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.
Explanation about the reimbursement of medicinal products
Keto- and hydroxyanalogues are an outpatient medicinal product. Outpatient means: medicines for home use that can be obtained at the pharmacy with a prescription from a physician. They are only reimbursed from the basic health care package if they are listed in the GVS.