On Thursday, December 13, Jorge Basso, Uruguay’s Health Minister, announced that the country’s National Resources Fund (NRF) incorporated 11 high-cost medicines for different diseases, notably some cancers. The decision comes in response to calls from the World Health Organization for the design of public policies to guarantee access to such drugs. The FNR budget is expected to finance even more high cost medicines next year.

Basso announced that the agency has a budget of 45 million dollars to finance 11 high-priced drugs. These include Abiraterone for prostate cancer and Azacitidine for leukemia. In addition, the minister explained that in incorporating these drugs and procedures, international experience of clinical evidence and the added value of health technology were assessed.

These new drugs, many of which were being granted through judicial procedures, are thus now available. The Ministry of Health is working on updating the basket of benefits, which will be provided in the coming months.