Is Trientine included in medical insurance?

Trientine(Trientine) has not yet been included in the national medical insurance directory in China, and its use mainly depends on patients paying for it themselves or purchasing it through specific channels. Since trientine is a specialized drug for Wilson's disease with limited indications, and is marketed through licensed channels such as Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, it is difficult for ordinary hospitals and pharmacies to provide it, so medical insurance coverage has not yet been achieved.

There are several main reasons why medical insurance does not cover it: First, the patient group of trientine is very small, limited to patients with Wilson's disease who are intolerant to penicillamine or have severe side effects. This type of disease is a rare disease and the scope of drug use is limited. Medical insurance usually gives priority to covering drugs with a wide range of drug users and great clinical needs. However, due to high costs and limited indications, specialized drugs like trientine require more policies and economic evaluations to enter the medical insurance system.

Secondly, as an imported original drug, trientine has high procurement costs and limited supply channels. If it is included in medical insurance, the financial burden will be relatively large, which is also an important reason why the policy does not cover it yet. Although there are generic drugs available in overseas markets, the domestic market is still dominated by original drugs, which also limits the feasibility of medical insurance.

Although not covered by medical insurance, the existence of franchise channels ensures that patients can obtain drug treatment in specific areas. In the future, with the increase of clinical experience, domestic registration or listing of generic drugs, and the gradual improvement of rare disease drug policies, the possibility of trientine entering the medical insurance catalog will increase. However, at the current stage, patients need to purchase it at their own expense and arrange treatment plans reasonably based on the advice of professional doctors.

In summary, trientine is not currently included in medical insurance, and patients use it at their own expense. This reminds patients to fully understand the source, price and economic burden of the drug before use, and to use the drug rationally under the guidance of a doctor to ensure efficacy and safety.

Reference materials:https://www.cufence.com/