Donini: “Alongside patients and their families to guarantee the effectiveness and safety of emergency therapeutic interventions”
Annually, 2,750 packs of Baqsimi glucagon spray are dispensed in Emilia-Romagna, half of which to minor diabetic patients. The Region has also submitted a request to AIFA to re-evaluate the classification of the life-saving medicine as soon as possible
9 November 2023 – The Emilia-Romagna Region will cover the cost of glucagon spray Baqsimireclassified by AIFA, the Italian Medicines Agency, into band Ctherefore no longer paid by the National Health Service, to continue to ensure diabetic patients at risk of severe hypoglycemia thefree access to a medicine that can save their lives.
A decision that the Regional Council took immediately after the passage of the drug from class A to C, effective from 24 October last, thus determining its non-refundable by the National Health Service and, consequently, making it entirely paid by the citizen.
Thanks to the intervention of the regional administration, the life-saving drug, which costs 84.17 euros per dose, will continue to be made available free of charge in Emilia-Romagna for children they teenagers with type 1 diabetes and for patients adults with diabetes mellitus in intensified insulin therapy who have experienced at least one episode of severe hypoglycemia in the last year and who may be in contexts where intramuscular administration is not possible.
The measure was illustrated today in Press conference by the regional councilor for health policies, Raffaele Donini, which was also attended by a delegation from the Emilia-Romagna Diabetes Federation (Feder), led by the president Daniele Bandiera and by the vice president, Rita Lidia Stara.
“A dutiful choice on the part of the Region – he underlines Donini – to continue to ensure that diabetic patients at risk of severe hypoglycemia have full access to a drug that can contribute, in terms of disease management, to significantly improve the quality of their life, guaranteeing the effectiveness and safety of emergency therapeutic intervention” .
Considering the consumption data for 2022 and 2023, they are 2.750 the packs of Baqsimi glucagon spray distributed annually in Emilia-Romagnathe half of which to diabetic patients minors.
“A choice that particularly concerns families – continues the councilor – since it is children and adolescents who predominantly use the drug. And that from the end of October they would have had to spend more than 84 euros for each dose to be administered to their children. Measures like this also confirm the desire to maintain public and universal healthcare. And precisely for this reason we have already submitted a request to Aifa to re-evaluate the classification of this life-saving medicine in band A as soon as possible”.
“We express our appreciation for the Region’s willingness to continue to support this group of patients and their families by guaranteeing the free supply of this drug – he states Flag -. Immediately after the move of glucagon spray to band C, all the associations in the region that deal with T1 diabetes mellitus were very alarmed and immediately asked for help from the Feder, which represents them, and which already in October 2021 had reached an agreement with the department for the free distribution of the drug for patients who are at risk of hypoglycemia, under 18 years of age, but also adults. And, even in this case, the councilor received us, identifying the solution, for which we are grateful”.
Baqsimi glucagon spray
Baqsimi glucagon is the only life-saving drug which, in case of severe hypoglycemia, allows the patient’s blood sugar level to be re-established with a simple spray in the nose, instead of an intramuscular injection. This formulation, combined with the fact that the drug does not have to be stored in the refrigerator, can significantly facilitate its administration, even in extra-clinical contexts, especially when diabetes patients are children or adolescents. Use is preceded by adequate training of those who administer it, and therefore healthcare workers, operators, caregivers, personnel from the educational-scholastic world, to guarantee the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of the urgent therapeutic intervention.
Available in Italy since 2020 and reclassified in band A from 2021, following the evaluation of the Aifa Price and Reimbursement Commission, Baqsimi glucagon has returned to reimbursement class C starting from October 24th, at a cost of 84.17 euros per single-dose pack. Thanks to the intervention of the Region, the drug will therefore be entirely paid for by the Regional health service and will continue to be provided for free to the citizens of Emilia-Romagna.