Turkey Regulatory Update: New Biotech Center, Diabetes Costs Surging
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
A university has opened a new biomedicine and genome R&D center, and new data show rapidly rising spending on diabetes in Turkey. Meanwhile, the country is searching for ways to attract back successful researchers and a project has been launched to domestically produce a rabies vaccine.
A PharmAsia News update on Turkish biomedical regulatory and research policies and projects. For previous notes, see (Also see "Turkey Regulatory Update: New Center To Raise Local Study Quality" - Scrip, 14 Sep, 2015.).
New Biotech Research Center In Izmir
A new Biomedicine and Genome Institute Research & Application Center under 9 Eylul University opened in Izmir on Sept.10. Fikri Isik, minister of science, industry and technology attended the official ceremony for the facility, which has been established with an initial investment of $150m.
The center will develop and manufacture biotechnology drugs with a particular emphasis on diseases including thalassemia, and will carry out research into stem cell treatments. The facility includes 32 independent research laboratories, 24 cell culture laboratories and 30 laboratories for general use, with the minister underlining that important drugs will be manufactured there.
The director of the center, Professor Dr. Mehmet Ozturk, noted that the global market share of biotech products is increasing by 20% every year. He emphasized that the new facility would reduce Turkey’s dependence on imports of such products.
Prof. Dr. Pascal Pineau from the Pasteur Institute also attended the opening ceremony and, noting that some of the research areas of the center are similar to those of the institute, he expressed a willingness to cooperate with the new center.
Link to related story (in Turkish)
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SGK Pays About TRY10bn For Diabetes Treatments
The cost of diabetes treatment is increasing every year for the Turkish healthcare system. According to 2014 data from the International Diabetes Federation, almost 60,000 people in Turkey died in 2014 due to the disease and its complications. The direct cost of treatment, excluding indirect costs, has now risen to $612bn globally and Turkey is seeing the same climbing curve in costs.
According to government data, the Social Security Institution of Turkey (SGK) now spends about TRY10bn ($3.27bn) annually for the treatment of diabetes and related diseases, with the figure corresponding to about 23% of SGK’s annual healthcare bill. According to data from 2012, SGK spends three times more to treat complications of diabetes than to the chronic disease itself.
Experts point out that if the country invests more in effective treatment, control and management of diabetes, it would be possible to achieve significant savings for the healthcare bill in coming years.
Link to related story (in Turkish)
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Attracting International Researchers
The Turkish Institutes of Health (TUSEB) will organize a major meeting at the end of October to bring together leading Turkish researchers who work at respected global research centers as well as well-known international scientists working in particular fields of medicine.
They will discuss ways to develop Turkey’s research potential and to attract back to the country successful Turkish researchers. Researchers from leading Turkish universities will also be invited to encourage networking, with Fahrettin Kelestimur, the director of TUSEB, stating that it was “their duty” to develop research in the life sciences.
He said there are plans to invest in establishing a strong research infrastructure at Ministry of Health hospitals and to create an attractive environment for researchers, underlining that the meeting would be an important step towards achieving these goals.
Link to related story (in Turkish)
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TUBITAK Opens Rabies Vaccine Tender
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) has started a new project, coded “Program 1007”, for the Ministry of Health, which aims to transfer technology for the manufacture of a rabies vaccine in Turkey. The initiative is open to private companies, R&D departments of universities and public institutions.
The four main goals for the project are the creation of master human diploid cell and virus banks, an inactive rabies virus, preparation of a vaccine formulation for the inactive rabies virus, and the manufacturing of a final product ready for licensing and applicable to humans.
The closing date for applications is Nov. 6.
Link to information about project (in Turkish)
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SGK Reimburses New Drugs
The SGK has added Muscomed (thiocolchicoside) 8mg 10 capsules from World Medicine and Seladrenalin (noradrenaline bitartrate) 4mg/4mL intravenous from Haver to the reimbursement list with a notice dated Sept. 9.