Latvian Woman With Metastatic Breast Cancer Denied State Coverage for Prescribed Treatment
Agnese, a 47-year-old mother of two, was prescribed a drug for metastatic breast cancer by a panel of doctors, but the state does not reimburse it because she does not meet all criteria. A year of treatment costs over €90,000 and is currently funded by donors.
A 47-year-old mother of two in Latvia, identified as Agnese, who has metastatic breast cancer, is not receiving state reimbursement for a medicine prescribed by her doctors, because she does not meet all the criteria of the compensation system. A year of treatment costs more than €90,000, so the drug is currently being obtained with the help of donors. The situation was reported on 6 November by the news service of Latvian Television (LTV).
The illness
Agnese's breast cancer was discovered 11 years ago. Four years ago the disease returned in a metastatic form, affecting her bones and liver.
Doctors' decision and reimbursement
A panel of doctors at the Latvian Oncology Centre of Riga East Clinical University Hospital prescribed a medicine for treating metastatic breast cancer. According to LTV, without this therapy doctors have forecast a survival time of roughly six months.
The state does reimburse this medicine, but not for all patients with this diagnosis. Agnese does not meet all the compensation criteria set in Latvia, although, as LTV notes, the therapy is recommended for her under European guidelines.
First results
Agnese says she has high hopes for the treatment. After just the first two doses, her test results reportedly improved significantly. "All my indicators have improved by exactly half," she told LTV.
A fuller report is available in the Latvian Television news service segment.
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