Patients in Serbia and Bosnia demand access to life-saving genetic therapies

Families in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are advocating for improved access to life-saving treatments for rare genetic diseases.

In Serbia, parents of children with cystic fibrosis are petitioning the Republic Fund for Health Insurance. While an innovative therapy exists that can slow the progression of the disease, it is currently only available to approximately 120 of the 400 patients in the country. Families emphasize that early intervention is critical to preventing lung and organ damage.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Association for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is highlighting a lack of access to modern therapies for boys with DMD. While such treatments are available in the US, the EU, and neighboring regional areas, patients in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina remain without them. The disease causes progressive muscle weakness, eventually affecting the heart and lungs, making access to treatment a matter of survival.