Alexandru Rogobete highlights expanded medical access in Romania

Former Romanian Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete has highlighted recent advancements in medical access for patients with rare diseases in Romania. He emphasized that medical innovation should be viewed as a necessity rather than a luxury, as it provides life-extending opportunities for those with specific conditions.

Regarding cystic fibrosis, Rogobete noted that during his mandate, access to innovative modulator therapies was expanded. Previously, treatment for patients aged two and older was restricted to those with at least one specific mutation. The policy change allowed for more flexible administration based on real patient needs, including those with rare mutations who were previously ineligible.

Additionally, Rogobete announced that patients with systemic mastocytosis now have access to avapritinib, a kinase inhibitor. This decision followed discussions with patient associations, such as the Support Mastocytosis Romania Association, to address cases where existing therapies failed to control severe symptoms. He framed these developments as essential components of health reform, focusing on transforming scientific progress into tangible patient access.