Advice - reimburse baricitinib (Olumiant®) for treatment of severe alopecia areata
The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport to reimburse baricitinib (Olumiant®) from the basic health care package. This medicinal product can be used in patients with severe alopecia areata. These patients suffer from hair loss and bald patches. If the minister adopts our advice, baricitinib will be included in the Medicine Reimbursement System (GVS). Only then will this medicinal product be reimbursed from the health care insurer's basic health care package. We recommend extra conditions for reimbursement.
Baricitinib is intended for certain people with severe alopecia areata
Baricitinib is the active substance; the brand name is Olumiant®. The medicinal product is a tablet.
The medicinal product can be used by people with a severe form of alopecia areata. People with this condition suddenly get bald patches on skin areas where hair grows. The patches are generally rounded or oval in shape, occurring largely on the scalp. The manufacturer has applied for reimbursement for treating severe alopecia areata. The medicine can only be used in patients who have first received the standard treatment but in whom the hair has not grown back sufficiently.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of baricitinib
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport to reimburse baricitinib (Olumiant®) through the basic healthcare package on certain conditions. The recommendation is to include the medicinal product on List 1B of the GVS. Specific additional conditions apply for Olumiant®, known as the ‘List 2 conditions’.
For more information on the GVS and the Lists 1A, 1B and 2, see page ‘Reimbursement of extramural drugs (GVS)’.
Conditions for reimbursement of baricitinib
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 Minister. 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
Baricitinib is both an inpatient and an outpatient medicinal product. Inpatient means medicinal products used in hospital treatments. Outpatient means medicines for home use that can be obtained at the pharmacy with a prescription from a physician. They are reimbursed from the basic healthcare package if they are listed in the GVS.