Key Facts
- ✓ The Moscow Department of Health plans to purchase the unregistered drug pitolisant for a patient with narcolepsy using the state budget.
- ✓ Moscow resident Alena Tsytsareva is the patient for whom the city plans to buy the medication.
- ✓ There is no official statistics on the number of people suffering from narcolepsy.
- ✓ Andrey Moroztsev, head of the patient union 'Ratsio', speaks of 'tens of thousands' of Russians who could theoretically now expect state-funded treatment.
Quick Summary
The Moscow Department of Health has planned the first state-funded purchase of the expensive unregistered drug pitolisant for a patient with narcolepsy. The patient, Moscow resident Alena Tsytsareva, confirmed she is the first to achieve such treatment, though the drug has not yet been purchased. Narcolepsy involves uncontrollable daytime sleep attacks. There is no official statistics on the number of people suffering from narcolepsy. The head of the patient union 'Ratsio', Andrey Moroztsev, estimates that tens of thousands of Russians could theoretically now expect state-funded treatment. This development represents a significant shift in access to medication for this condition in Russia.
Historic Medical Decision
The Moscow Department of Health has planned a significant procurement for a patient suffering from narcolepsy. For the first time in Russia, the state budget will cover the cost of the expensive drug pitolisant. This medication is currently unregistered in the country, making this a unique case in Russian healthcare history.
The beneficiary of this decision is Alena Tsytsareva, a Moscow resident. She suffers from narcolepsy, a condition characterized by uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleep. Ms. Tsytsareva has confirmed that she is the first person to succeed in obtaining such treatment through state funding. However, it is noted that the actual purchase of the medication for her has not yet been finalized.
"«десятках тысяч»"
— Andrey Moroztsev, Head of patient union 'Ratsio'
The Scope of Narcolepsy in Russia
Despite the condition's impact, there is currently no official statistics available regarding the number of people in Russia suffering from narcolepsy. The lack of data makes it difficult to assess the full scale of the issue.
Andrey Moroztsev, the head of the patient union «Рацио» (Ratsio), provided an estimate of the potential impact of this decision. He speaks of «десятках тысяч» (tens of thousands) of Russian citizens who theoretically could now hope for treatment funded by the state, following the precedent set for Alena Tsytsareva.
Implications for Patients
This development signals a potential change in the availability of specialized treatments for Russian patients. The procurement of pitolisant for a single patient opens the door for others with similar diagnoses to seek similar support from the government.
The situation remains in the planning stages. The Moscow Department of Health is the entity responsible for the procurement. The outcome of this plan will determine the future accessibility of this specific treatment for the wider patient community represented by Andrey Moroztsev and the «Рацио» union.
