Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis as a Challenge for the Polish Healthcare System

• Published in: Journal of health policy & outcomes research 2015-12 (2), p.6-7
• Main Authors: Kwiecień, Marcin, Budasz-Świderska, Małgorzata, Kaczor, Marcin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2299-1247; 2299-1247
• DOI: 10.7365/JHPOR.2015.2.1

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare disease characterised by age-dependent incidence, unclear aetiology and progressive course. Given the complexity of the diagnostic pathway and limited therapeutic options, and according to the fact that the Polish society is ageing, healthcare and social security expenditure are considerable and likely to rise. Until recently, there was no effective treatment for patients with IPF. After diagnosis only procedures that relieve the symptoms of the disease and treat its complications or lung transplantation were offered. In recent years a huge interest in this clinical entity has been seen. This resulted in the introduction of new drugs, whose efficacy has been confirmed in reliable clinical trials and whose slow the progression of the disease and improve survival of patients. The first such drug was pirfenidone; however such treatment is not available in Poland. Furthermore, due to the inadequacy of Polish legislative reimbursement solutions, which do not take into account the specific nature of rare disease, there are not used any favourable solution during the assessment of public funding of orphan drugs. This is contrary to European consensuses on an egalitarian approach to the use of orphan drugs. It is necessary to develop standards of care for IPF patients, including systemic solutions and the inclusion of the drugs used in the treatment of IPF on the reimbursement list. In long term this will reduce the financial burden associated with the disease, and thus reduce the direct and indirect costs resulting from its prevalence.