{"id":588,"date":"2019-04-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/mucopolysaccharide-storage-diseases\/588\/"},"modified":"2020-01-15T08:58:09","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T08:58:09","slug":"mucopolysaccharide-storage-diseases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/mucopolysaccharide-storage-diseases\/588\/","title":{"rendered":"Mucopolysaccharide storage diseases and EU care"},"content":{"rendered":"
Mucopolysaccharide storage diseases (MPS) are rare lysosomal disorders caused by inherited enzyme deficiencies involved in the degradation process of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of connective tissue. The enzyme deficiency results in progressive accumulation of GAGs in the cells followed by increasing organ sizes and disturbances of organ functions. Besides various somatic symptoms \u2013 such as distinct faces, small stature, skeletal deformities, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly \u2013 patients develop successive organ dysfunctions, such as cardiac and respiratory problems, impairment of visual and auditory systems; and intellectual disabilities.<\/p>\n
Mucopolysaccharide storage diseases are very rare \u2013 on average, one in 35,000 people are affected. Some types of MPS (for instance type VII and IX) were only observed in a few families worldwide or in single families. In general, there is not much knowledge about MPS, and the affected and their families feel isolated. Although there is some effective treatment by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for five of the 11 different MPS types, which means regular infusions of the missing enzymes for the patients however, not all patients are properly diagnosed, have the appropriate medical care and treatment, or can benefit from the therapeutic options due to the regulations of their national health systems.<\/p>\n
Many efforts toward improved and earlier diagnoses, better medical care and treatment, more knowledge about the disease, and more awareness for the disorder have been conducted by the families of affected patients themselves; that which could not be realised by a single family became reality as a merger of parents\u2019 groups. The first European parents\u2019 groups started in the 1980s with the English and Austrian Mucopolysaccharide Storage Diseases Society. Many others followed suit and it is a fact that any research for enzyme replacement therapy (and first trials with gene therapy) was based on the incredible efforts of the patients and their families. None of the clinical trials would have been possible without their engagement.<\/p>\n
On 30 November 2017, MPS Europe GmbH was founded to give more than 2000 European MPS patients a stronger common voice and to increase awareness of the rare disorders. After a two-year preliminary phase and intensive preparations, the European umbrella organisation started with 12 members:\u00a0 Austria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In 2019, five additional countries \u2013 Belgium, Greece, Lithuania, Russia and Turkey \u2013 will join MPS Europe gGmbH.<\/p>\n
The office of the non-profit organisation is in Germany (Aschaffenburg); on the advisory board there are five Member States: MPS Switzerland (represented by Alfred Wiesbauer, chairman), Austria (represented by Michaela Weigl, vice-chairman), MPS Serbia (represented by Dragana Miletic Lajko), MPS Spain (represented by Ana Maria Mendoza Mastre) and MPS Germany (represented by Georg Schetter). The executive directors are Marija Joldic and Carmen Kunkel.<\/p>\n
The Mission of MPS Europe is to enhance the quality of life of persons affected with mucopolysaccharide storage diseases and related conditions across Europe. The tasks and objectives are to offer support for MPS patients and national MPS societies, support for the availability of adequate care and treatment for MPS patients, to represent patients in European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other European institutions; and to implement an independent European patients\u2019 registry. Further aims include the organisation of European and international workshops and conferences, support of MPS groups, improved information about recent clinical trials, state-of-the art-therapies, and organisation of activities on the annual International MPS Day: May 15th, 2019.<\/p>\n
In 2018 MPS Europe focused on adult MPS and related diseases patients at the first Adult MPS patients meeting \u201cStand on Your Own\u201d. The goal of this meeting was to encourage and empower adult MPS patients to be independent \u2013 stand on their own. This goal was achieved when patients with adult mucopolysaccharide storage diseases and related conditions compared their experiences of living in different European countries and proposed solutions for improving their own lives. Participants between the ages of 17 and 53 years attended from eight different European countries. The agenda included following topics:<\/p>\n
Based on the questionnaire on mapping the needs, the evaluation form provided at the end, and positive feedback of this specific group we are planning to organize second annual Adult MPS patients meeting \u201cStand on Your Own\u201d in September\/October 2019 in Italy with the same concept and the same goal. We want to hear their voice, their unmet needs and how MPS Europe can provide them full support.<\/p>\n
The program will be tailored according to their needs and include psychological help and support in peer-to-peer workshops, cross-border health and social care, education on medicines development and clinical trials, pain management and physical exercise with disabilities, art and mucopolysaccharide storage diseases; and raising adult MPS patients\u2019 voice.<\/p>\n
All MPS Europe members were asked to make a statement on the current situation in their country – their responses are listed below:<\/p>\n
\u201cOne problem that I still see in Austria is that the funding of the therapies is not legally anchored and health insurance companies can easily resist the reimbursement of costs. In doing so, they automatically close our patients’ path to home therapy, which would bring about a tremendous increase in the quality of life for many.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe federal system also makes it difficult to have equitable, equal access to medicines, aids and therapies \u2013 deductibles are widely varying from zero up to 100%, depending not only on their individual social insurances but also from the part of the country they are living in.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, I see a lack of awareness and thus the problem of later diagnosis, and thus less successful therapy. Subsequently this could then lead to birth of several children within families with mucopolysaccharide storage diseases. In fact, there are regions in Austria where we are not aware of a single patient. The reason for that could be a lack of awareness and misdiagnosis, because there is no reasonable explanation why we should not have any patients in the whole province of Tyrol, for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unjust that there is a constant talk of a cost explosion because of the rare diseases. This is not true at all, because the price trend runs parallel to the contribution cost increase \u2013 there is no cost explosion, but rather an \u2018explosion\u2019 in performance. It is not acceptable that patients are named and shamed for something they are not to blame for, that their medicines are expensive. Therefore, we need solidarity and not resource allocation or cost-benefit analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the greatest challenge for us in Belgium is the price setting of new treatments. Our government does not want to pay this high price of ODs which do not even have proof of effectiveness. Therefore, pharmaceutical industry must be aware that they must set a reasonable price for their products for the wellbeing of the patients, who are their core business.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnzyme replacement therapy has been the way to deal with most of the MPS affected patients. Soon gene therapy will be an option to consider. The national hospitals need to deal with this, but also families with mucopolysaccharide storage diseases need to consider whether their MPS-affected children should approach gene therapy. We need to share insights in gene therapy in order to have the best possible basis for taking a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Germany, there are two things which bother me a lot: on the one hand, the absolute underfunding of specialised metabolic centres \u2013 the payment for the care of patients with rare diseases is not adequately covered \u2013 on the other hand the topic of home therapy, both the payment as well as the gift, is in a legal grey area and the doctors who allow it hang legally by a thread.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to the economic crisis we had patients with mucopolysaccharide storage diseases who had been waiting for a long time to start their therapy. There is a great concern surrounding whether they will be able to continue this therapy in the future due to the high cost. We are afraid that new innovative medicines for rare diseases in the future will not be able to be covered by health authorities, not only in Greece, but also across Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a great concern about holistic health care of the diseases as mainly neurologists and cardiologists are monitoring them. Some of the patients travel abroad to be checked by specialised centres in Europe.<\/p>\n