Ceylan Akça Cupolo calls for parliamentary action on cancer drug access

DEM Party Diyarbakır Deputy Ceylan Akça Cupolo has brought the difficulties cancer patients face in accessing smart drugs and immunotherapies to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In a written parliamentary inquiry addressed to Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu, Cupolo highlighted that many high-cost, next-generation cancer treatments are not included in the Social Security Institution (SGK) reimbursement list.

According to the inquiry, patients must navigate a complex bureaucratic and legal maze to obtain treatment. This process often requires obtaining a medical necessity report from an oncology council, seeking off-label use permission from the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK), and subsequently filing lawsuits in labor courts if the SGK denies coverage. Cupolo noted that these legal delays and the reliance on expert witnesses can cause critical time losses for patients fighting against the disease.

Furthermore, the inquiry warns of significant financial risks. Patients who receive drugs through court-ordered interim injunctions may face massive debt or enforcement actions if their subsequent lawsuits are ultimately rejected by the courts.