The age limit for patients receiving support from the Circle of Kindness Foundation, a charitable initiative in Russia, may soon be raised to at least 21 years. This proposal was presented by Yuri Zhulev, co-chairman of the All-Russian Union of Patients, during a roundtable discussion at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation entitled «Legislative initiatives to improve the drug supply system, as well as the availability of innovative therapy for Russian patients», writes TASS.
Zhulev emphasized the urgency of the change, stating, «It is necessary to raise the age of patients of the Circle of Kindness Foundation to at least 21 in the near future. A full-fledged solution is to remove the age limit for patients who began receiving assistance from the foundation at 18 and to provide them with lifelong care».
Supporting the initiative, Nikolai Daikhes, First Deputy Chairman of the Public Health Commission of the Russian Federation, recalled previous efforts to extend the age of the foundation’s wards to 18 years: «The system must be structured so that we do not lose not only the lives but also the health of patients who have previously been supported through the Circle of Kindness».
Daikhes also addressed the need to accelerate the registration and implementation processes for innovative drugs and medical equipment, arguing that lengthy timelines render medicines outdated. «We cannot talk about any kind of innovation and development when it takes two to three years to register medical devices or drugs», — he stated.
The discussion surrounding the improvement of drug provision mechanisms for patients over 18 years old was initiated during a meeting of the Committee on Social Policy in February. Currently, patients must possess a disability status to continue receiving essential medications, which poses challenges for those who reach adulthood without disabilities due to effective treatment with innovative drugs.
Aleksandr Tkachenko, chairman of the foundation’s board, noted that the Circle of Kindness Foundation has provided medicines to over 27,000 children, ensuring that patients receive treatment without delays or waiting lists, despite high costs.
The Circle of Kindness Foundation was established in January 2021, following a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its primary mission is to enhance the organization and financial provision of medicines and medical products for children suffering from life-threatening and rare diseases, with a list of 100 conditions covered by the foundation.
