This was reported by the Ministry of Health under the leadership of Mario Lugones
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The National Ministry of Health, led by Mario Lugones, reached a historic agreement with Novartis laboratory that allowed it to purchase 12 Zolgensma kits at $1.1 million each.
Following the renegotiation carried out by the national health authority, Argentina managed to acquire this therapy used to halt the progression of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) at half the price that was paid through litigation ($2.1 million) and even at a lower value than negotiated in 2023, when each kit was purchased at $1.3 million.
El Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, a cargo de Mario Lugones, alcanzó un acuerdo histórico con el laboratorio Novartis.
“SMA is a rare genetic disease that prevents proper muscle development and, in its most severe clinical form, can cause death within the first 2 years of life. This therapy allows SMA to be treated in babies up to 9 months old, stopping the loss of neurons and improving the motor and respiratory symptoms caused by the disease,” Minister Lugones emphasized.
“When we talk about efficiency, we refer to this type of action: decisions that ensure better investment in health to reach those who need it,” he added.
New agreement for the acquisition of kits
The kits were acquired through a new risk-sharing agreement with the laboratory that establishes a pay-for-results scheme, with five transfers subject to the achievement of clinical objectives measured over four years, reducing uncertainty about the drug's effectiveness.
El Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, a cargo de Mario Lugones, alcanzó un acuerdo histórico con el laboratorio Novartis.
“This new agreement marks a milestone in the history of coverage for this type of therapy and demonstrates the willingness of the different parties involved to promote access to medical innovation and to continue working together for the benefit of patients and their families. At Novartis, we focus not only on the development of innovative therapies but also on identifying differential access models that allow us to promote and expand access in a sustainable way, through public-private collaboration,” explains Francisco García, President of Novartis Argentina.
To access the treatment, the National Commission for Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (CONAME) is responsible for evaluating whether they meet the required criteria, regardless of the type of coverage they have.
Since the signing of the agreement and as treatments were approved by CONAME, three kits were administered in 2023 and seven in 2024.
A reduction of $200,000 per dose
This year, as a result of the renegotiation carried out, a reduction of $200,000 per dose was achieved.
Argentina thus consolidates itself as a regional leader in the purchase of high-cost therapies through innovative agreements based on scientific evidence and transparency, preventing families from having to go to court to access these treatments.
With this renegotiation, the National Ministry of Health not only guarantees access to a vital medication for babies with SMA but also reaffirms its leading role in the introduction and implementation of innovative technologies and high-cost and complex medicines for rare diseases.
Additionally, it marks a paradigm shift in the way the State acquires high-cost therapies: with intelligence, planning and transparent agreements that prioritize patients and make every peso invested in health go further.
