Georgian Breast Cancer Patients to Get Medicines on 80% Discount

David Sergeenko, Minister of IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Protection of Georgia stated that from January 2019 the project of providing medicines to the breast cancer patients is expanding.

More specifically, patients who suffer from the fourth stage of breast cancer will receive medicines - Perjeta and Herceptin on 80% discount.

The minister explained that before the mentioned medicines were available on discount only for the 1st, second and 3rd stage breast cancer patients but from 2019, all patients who have breast cancer will enjoy the benefit.

"One of the major challenges in health care is access to medicines. The Ministry of Health has taken some important steps in this direction. One of the novelties that will soon come into effect is the availability of the breast cancer-specific drugs that previously were only available for the people with initial stages,” said Sergeenko.

As for socially vulnerable people, the minister said 80% of the cost of medicines for breast cancer is covered by this state program, while 20% by local municipalities. It means that socially vulnerable breast cancer patients get the medicines for free.

The program, which aimed at increasing access to Herceptin started in February 2016 by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, Tbilisi City Hall and Medicament company Roche.

The program covers 80% of the drug cost, which currently usually amounts to 6000 GEL per patient. More than 400 patients have already benefited from this program in Georgia.