***************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (January 13) the launch of a three-year special programme starting from February 2012 to provide treatment with the drug Ranibizumab (Lucentis) to patients suffering from the wet form of Age-related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD), in collaboration with Novartis Pharmaceutical (HK) Ltd (Novartis Pharmaceutical).
HA Director (Cluster Services), Dr Cheung Wai-lun, said, "AMD is one of the leading causes of vision impairment. The medical profession has developed various treatment options for wet AMD, including the use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors to alleviate the conditions. Ranibizumab (Lucentis), a kind of VEGF inhibitor, is licensed in Hong Kong for the treatment of wet AMD.
"However, the optimal treatment regimen by the drug is not yet available and its long-term efficacy in treating wet AMD requires the accumulation of more established clinical data to prove. At the same time, consensus is yet to be reached in the international medical profession on the long-term treatment regimen regarding the frequency and duration of injections. Currently, public hospital patients can choose to use the drug as a self-financed item.
"Pending the accumulation of more established clinical data and consensus on a treatment regimen for wet AMD in the medical profession, HA will continue with planning local clinical studies comparing the VEGF inhibitors to facilitate the accumulation of clinical data on their long-term efficacy and treatment regimen. HA will also closely monitor the findings of major international research to finalise the position of this treatment option in public hospitals.
"The special programme aims at assisting needy patients who have an imminent clinical condition or lack financial means to receive the treatment without the need to purchase the drug as a self-financing item," said Dr Cheung.
During the programme period, HA-designated ophthalmology centres will provide Ranibizumab injections to two types of wet AMD patients, namely, patients who have visual impairment of one eye matching predefined clinical criteria and the other eye suffering from wet AMD, or recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance with one eye suffering from wet AMD. Eligible patients will enter the special programme for a 24-month treatment period. The programme will provide treatment for 250 patient eyes each year.
During the treatment period, each patient or each eye is entitled to a maximum of 10 injections of Ranibizumab, including three initial injections and subsequent injections for clinically indicated patients. HA will provide the first three injections for each recruited eye of each patient, while Novartis Pharmaceutical will provide the remaining injections for clinically indicated patients within the programme period.
"Before finalising the position of this treatment option in public hospitals, HA will use this special programme, sponsored by the drug company, as an interim measure to provide an option for needy patients who have an imminent clinical need or lack the financial means. While this stopgap arrangement is launched in the interest of patients, HA will closely monitor the implementation of the programme and keep in view the latest developments in the research into treatment regimens to adjust the programme if needed," added Dr Cheung.
Ends/Friday, January 13, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:37
NNNN
