What is the medical insurance price of Erlotinib in 2023? How much will it cost after reimbursement?

Erlotinib (Erlotinib) is an oral targeted therapy drug mainly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and some other cancer types. It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works by inhibiting the activity of a protein called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in tumor cells. EGFR is a receptor on the cell surface that is involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and survival. In some cancers, abnormal activation of EGFR can lead to excessive proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. Erlotinib slows down the development of cancer by blocking this process.

Erlotinib has been launched in China and has been included in medical insurance. Patients can purchase it domestically. The domestic price ranges from about 700 to 1,000. The specification is 150mg*7 tablets. Due to different medical insurance policies in different places, the price is also different. Please consult the local pharmacy or medical insurance bureau for details. Erlotinib abroad is mainly an Indian generic drug, with a price of about 900 yuan. The specifications are divided into 100mg*30 tablets and 150mg*30 tablets, which are about four times the domestic specifications, but the price is similar to that in China.

Erlotinib is mainly used in two aspects in medical practice:

1.Non-small cell lung cancer treatment: Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most common types of lung cancer, and overexpression or mutation of EGFR plays an important role in its development. Erlotinib can be used in patients who have been diagnosed with EGFR activating mutations that make cancer cells more sensitive to the targeted effects of erlotinib. By blocking abnormal signaling by EGFR, drugs can inhibit the proliferation and spread of tumor cells, thereby delaying disease progression.

2.Other cancer treatments: In addition to non-small cell lung cancer, erlotinib has also been studied for the treatment of some other cancer types, such as pancreatic cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, its use in these areas is relatively sparse and is still under intense investigation in clinical trials.

Although erlotinib has shown significant efficacy in some patients, it may also be associated with some side effects, including dry skin, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. Therefore, when using drugs, doctors and patients need to weigh the efficacy and side effects together and formulate an individualized treatment plan.