The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vedat Işıkhan, announced that another drug used by SMA patients has been added to the SGK reimbursement list.

Another drug used by SMA patients has been added to the SGK reimbursement list.

Minister Işıkhan attended the 14th Private Hospitals and Healthcare Institutions Association (OHSAD) Congress.

During the meeting, Minister Işıkhan announced good news regarding medication for SMA patients.

Minister Işıkhan stated, “In addition to the drug that we have been reimbursing since 2017 for the treatment of SMA patients, we will also include another drug that is used in the treatment of the disease and offers ease of use for our children in need of treatment in our SGK reimbursement list.”

WHAT IS SMA? Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an inherited disease that affects nerve cells known as motor neurons, which control voluntary muscle movements, leading to gradual muscle weakness. The inability of muscles to respond to signals coming from nerve cells in the spinal cord leads to atrophy, causing muscles to shrink and eventually disappear. The patient loses control over the muscles in the arms, legs, head, and neck. Movements such as walking, crawling, head and neck control, swallowing, and breathing are all affected. In SMA, which causes muscle loss and weakness, normal functions such as vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch, intelligence, and emotional responsiveness remain intact.