Is Crizotinib/Xalkori included in medical insurance?

Crizotinib/Crizotinib has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration for marketing in China, and it is indeed because it has been included in the National Medical Insurance List.

Crizotinib is an ALK inhibitormainly used to treat patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and patients with ROS1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer. According to relevant policies, this drug has been included in the National Medical Insurance Category B Drug List. Regarding the specific conditions for medical insurance reimbursement, crizotinib is mainly used for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer or patients with ROS1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Specific reimbursement ratios and payment ranges may vary by region and type of medical insurance.

It is worth noting that although crizotinib has been included in medical insurance, its price is still high for some patients. Generally speaking, the original crizotinib drug is available in two packages of 250 mg 60 tablets and 200 mg 60 tablets, and the price tag of each box may be as high as more than 10,000 yuan; after medical insurance reimbursement, the patient still needs to pay part of the cost out of pocket, and the approximate price will be within 10,000 yuan. In addition, for the first-generation targeted drug crizotinib, which has poor efficacy in brain metastasis of lung cancer, patients may need to consider other more advanced targeted drugs or treatment options.

In general, the inclusion of crizotinib in medical insurance provides patients with certain financial burden relief, but patients still need to make appropriate treatment choices based on their own circumstances and financial capabilities. At the same time, with the continuous advancement of medical technology, it is expected that more drugs with better efficacy and more affordable prices will be available in the future, bringing better therapeutic effects and quality of life to lung cancer patients.