Belgium now reimburses CBD-based treatment for severe epilepsy

Since May 1, Belgium has reimbursed cannabidiol (CBD)-based treatment for patients suffering from Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Rare and resistant syndromes

In Belgium, around 200 children are diagnosed with the disease. Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a complex epileptic encephalopathy that usually manifests itself in the first year of life.

Not only is this disease difficult to treat, it also profoundly affects quality of life. Visit anti-epileptic drugs standard, such as’valproic acid, the lamotrigine, the topiramate and the rufinamide, They are often unable to control the frequency or intensity of seizures.

This therapeutic resistance has prompted families and the medical community to explore other treatments, the best known being Charlotte Figi, the little girl who polarized CBD in the treatment of epilepsy.

In recent years, clinical research has also demonstrated the efficacy of CBD, especially when used in combination with clobazam, to reduce the frequency of seizures in patients with Dravet syndrome. According to the Belgian Ministry of Public Health, this combination has produced measurable results in the management of this disease.

«The treatment enables children with epilepsy to lead a more normal life. That's why they can now count on cannabidiol being reimbursed,» stressed Minister Vandenbroucke.

From a financial burden to a policy of support

The annual cost of this CBD treatment is estimated at 10,000 euros per patient, This makes it financially inaccessible for many families.

«This amount is unaffordable for many families. Billy Buyse, spokesperson for the Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health.

With the new repayment program, the Belgian government aims to relieve this financial pressure, with a planned annual budget of 1.5 million euros allocated to cover costs.

The reimbursed drug is a magistral preparation in the form of CBD oil 10% by pharmacists.

To qualify for reimbursement, you must obtain a certificate issued by a pediatric neurologist, a pediatric neurologist or a pediatrician experienced in the treatment of epilepsy. The treatment is approved for children as young as two years of age, but is not restricted to the paediatric population. Although seizures often diminish with age, the Dravet syndrome can persist into adulthood, with attacks sometimes triggered by fever, physical exertion or light stimulation.

Belgium thus joins a growing list of countries that have begun to reimburse CBD treatments for epilepsy, in accordance with the recommendations of and regulatory agencies.