Is cemiplimab included in the scope of medical insurance reimbursement?

Cemiplimab(Cemiplimab) has attracted worldwide attention for its application incutaneous squamous cell carcinoma/basal cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer. However, the most concerning issue for domestic patients is whether this drug has entered the Chinese market and been included in the scope of medical insurance reimbursement. As of now, cimepilimab has not yet completed marketing approval in China, so it has not been included in the national medical insurance directory, and there is no clear information on its price and reimbursement policy. In other words, domestic patients are currently unable to obtain cost reductions for the drug through medical insurance.

In overseas markets, cimepilimab has been approved for marketing in the United States and Europe, and has gradually established a reputation in the field of tumor immunotherapy. However, due to differences in the medical systems of different countries, the coverage of medical insurance also varies significantly. In European and American countries, some indications of this drug may be included in the reimbursement scope of commercial insurance or public medical systems, thereby reducing the burden on patients. In the Chinese market, the update of the medical insurance catalog requires multiple evaluations of the clinical value of the drug, cost-effectiveness and negotiation results, so the inclusion of new drugs often takes a certain period of time.

For domestic patients, although cimepilimab is not currently included in medical insurance, with the acceleration of the introduction of anti-cancer drugs in China and the increasing improvement of the medical insurance negotiation mechanism, the possibility of its inclusion in medical insurance in the future still exists. In recent years, many imported PD-1 inhibitors have been included in medical insurance through negotiations, and their prices have dropped significantly, providing patients with more choices. Before it was launched on the market, if patients wanted to use cimepilimab, they could only purchase it through cross-border drug purchase or international medical channels. However, this method involves uncertainties in drug source compliance and cost, so it is more suitable for careful selection under the guidance of a doctor.

Reference materials:https://www.libtayohcp.com/