Has neratinib/neratinib been included in medical insurance recently?

Neratinib/neratinib (Neratinib), as an important drug for intensive adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, has been launched in China and included in the Class B National Medical Insurance List. According to the latest update of the National Medical Insurance Drug List, the reimbursement scope of neratinib is mainly for "adult patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer who are still at risk of recurrence after receiving adjuvant therapy containing trastuzumab". This means that not all breast cancer patients can receive reimbursement from medical insurance and must apply strictly in accordance with the indications and treatment stages.

The entry of neratinib into the medical insurance system marks Targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer has entered a new, more inclusive stage. Previously, as an imported innovative drug, the price of this drug was relatively high, and many patients discontinued treatment due to the financial burden. After the inclusion of medical insurance, the proportion of patients' out-of-pocket payments has dropped significantly, allowing more eligible people to continue to complete the one-year course of treatment, thereby improving long-term survival rates. Overseas reports also pointed out that sustained HER2 inhibition is decisive in reducing recurrence, and medical insurance support will undoubtedly help improve clinical compliance.

Although the cost has been significantly reduced after being included in medical insurance, reimbursement of neratinib still needs to meet several prerequisites: first, the patient must be diagnosed with HER2-positive early breast cancer; second, the patient must have completed trastuzumab treatment; third, the patient must be prescribed by a medical institution with tumor treatment qualifications. At the same time, medical insurance reimbursement only covers original research products approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). If generic drugs have not yet been put on the market or have passed consistency evaluation, they will not enjoy the same policy for the time being.

The inclusion of medical insurance not only reduces the financial burden on patients, but also promotes the optimization of hospital drug reserves, allowing neratinib to be more widely used in the intensive adjuvant treatment phase. In the future, as the national medical insurance negotiation mechanism continues to advance, neratinib is expected to achieve direct settlement in hospitals in more cities, thereby improving accessibility.

Reference materials:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neratinib