Kozhikode (Keralam) | The IMA Keralam has said it welcomes the state health department's efforts to expand treatment for children with SMA, stressing the need to ensure affordable medicines and uninterrupted care.
The doctors' body said the availability of lower-cost drugs could help reduce the financial burden of treating the rare genetic disorder and enable more children to receive treatment.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) affects muscle strength, mobility and breathing, while medicines such as risdiplam play a crucial role in managing the progression of the disease, IMA Keralam said in a statement.
The statement comes amidst a controversy over the Keralam Health Department's distribution of low-cost, Indian-made medicines to children suffering from SMA, a rare genetic disorder.
The association said reducing drug costs could improve the financial sustainability of rare disease treatment programmes and help the government extend treatment to more children.
However, it stressed that the quality and safety of medicines must be ensured and that all necessary approvals and scientific standards should be followed.
Treatment decisions, whether involving branded or lower-cost alternatives, should be based on scientific evidence and expert opinion, it said.
Referring to concerns raised by some parents after receiving medicine labelled as a sample in connection with the new drug's distribution, the association said the health department should provide a clear explanation regarding the medicine's source, quality assurance and distribution.
Transparent communication was essential to address parental concerns and maintain confidence in treatment, it said.
The doctors' body said the safety of children, continuity of treatment and public health interests should take precedence over disputes between drug brands.
IMA Kerala state president Dr M N Menon and state secretary Dr Roy R Chandran, in the statement, also said the association supported efforts to reduce the cost of rare disease treatment and expand access to more children.
Ensuring quality medicines at affordable prices and uninterrupted treatment would provide the greatest relief to patients and their families, it added.
A political row erupted in Keralam recently after Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, in a recent Facebook post, expressed shock over reports that experimental drugs meant for clinical trials were being given to children suffering from SMA without their parents' consent. He had demanded strict action against those responsible.
State Health Minister K Muraleedharan had, however, rejected the criticism and said low-cost Indian-made SMA medicines were being provided to children based on the recommendations of an expert committee that assessed the quality of the drugs.