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Pulmonary hypertension patients burdened by high drug prices
Pulmonary hypertension patients in Indonesia are at higher risk of death as the illnessâ costly therapy prevents them from obtaining timely and adequate medication, an activist has said
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ulmonary hypertension patients in Indonesia are at higher risk of death as the illness' costly therapy prevents them from obtaining timely and adequate medication, an activist has said.
'Many pulmonary hypertension patients yet to be properly diagnosed due to poor diagnostic tools and a shortage of doctors with expertise on pulmonary hypertension,' Indriani Ginoto, the coordinator of PHAindonesia.org, a website dedicated to pulmonary hypertension communities, said on Tuesday.
As a result, Indriani said, many patients were diagnosed at advanced stages, making it more difficult for the patients improve their conditions.
'Without proper medication, patients with pulmonary hypertension increase their risk of heart failure, which could lead to death,' said Indriani.
Pulmonary hypertension is a rare illness in which the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs become narrowed, making it difficult for blood to flow through the vessels and a result preventing blood from circulating.
In Indonesia, women and children are more prone to pulmonary hypertension. The condition can occur when a woman gives birth, causing a pulmonary embolism during labor.
Indriani said pulmonary hypertension medication was expensive in Indonesia. Currently, she said, sildenafil, or widely known by its patented brand name Viagra, was an effective drug to treat pulmonary hypertension.
'This drug costs Rp 125,000 (US$9.63) per pill at 100 milligrams. Every patient must consume between 75-150 mg of sildenafil every day throughout his or her life,' said Indriani.
She further said that pulmonary hypertension patients spend around Rp 3 ' 6 million per month on sildenafil alone.
'It is hoped that the national health insurance (JKN) program can accommodate patients' needs for this medication,' said Indriani, adding that sildenafil is not yet covered by the JKN. (ebf)
