Is Erdafitinib now included in the scope of medical insurance reimbursement?

Erdafitinib is an oral FGFR inhibitor, mainly used to treat locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with FGFR2 or FGFR3 gene alterations. At present, the drug has been officially approved for marketing in China, but it has not yet been included in the national medical insurance directory. Therefore, patients still need to bear all the drug costs out of their own pocket when taking the drug. This puts great financial pressure on patients who need to use the drug for a long time, especially when there are no other alternative treatments available, which limits the accessibility of the drug.

In the domestic market, due to the short time on the market of erdafitinib, the drug distribution network has not yet been fully developed, and some regional hospitals and pharmacies are not yet able to directly provide this drug. Therefore, many patients will choose to obtain drugs through overseas channels. At present, original research drugs are more common in Hong Kong, mainly produced by Johnson & Johnson (Janssen). Common specifications are 3mg, 4mg and 5mg tablets are priced at more than 20,000 yuan per box. The specific price will vary slightly depending on supply channels and exchange rate fluctuations.

For patients with limited budgets, foreign generic drugs provide more cost-effective options. Currently, generic versions from Laos and Bangladesh are already circulating on the market. Their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as the original drugs, but the price is much lower. Taking the Laos version and the Bangladesh Yaobin International version as examples, the price range ranges from a few hundred yuan to more than 2,000 yuan. Although generic drugs have not received formal marketing approval in China, they have been used clinically as a viable alternative by some patients and doctors.

In general, although erdafitinib has been marketed in China, it has not yet entered the medical insurance reimbursement system, which means that the cost of purchasing the drug must be borne by the patient. For patients with heavy burdens, choosing reliable channels to purchase foreign generic drugs is one of the realistic ways to reduce treatment costs. However, whether it is an original drug or a generic drug, patients should consult a professional doctor before use to ensure safe and rational use of the drug based on clear indications and adverse reactions. As time goes by and clinical demand expands, the possibility of this drug being included in the medical insurance catalog in the future is still worth looking forward to.

Reference link:https://www.balversa.com/