July 25, 2008
Tamar Kikacheishvili, Georgia Today

From July 17 onwards, patients with a form of diabetes called diabetes insipidus are get new medication free from their local pharmacy courtesy of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented their free one-year supply of medication at a press conference on July 16.

Diabetes insipidus patients have a lack of anti-diuretic hormone, which leaves them in constant risk of dehydration. The medication is called ‘Minirin’ and comes in tablet form which is much easier and more convenient for patients to take than the drops they currently take three times a day.

According to Mikheil Pavliashvili, Deputy Chief of the Health and Social Programs Agency, there are 400 registered diabetes insipidus sufferers in Georgia. Previously their medication cost the state 300,000 GEL per year.

Pavliashvili said: “This gift [from Ferring Pharmaceuticals] is a one-year supply which costs 378,000 EUR [about 847,000 GEL]. This medication is of a much higher quality than we used to get.”

Ellene Svanadze, the Head of Ferring Pharmaceuticals Georgia said: “Central diabetes insipidus patients in developed countries have been getting this medication since 1988. Frederick Poulstein, the head of the Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented this medication to Georgia.”

Svanadze went on to explain more about diabetes insipidus, saying that sufferers lack the anti-diuretic hormone, or simply cannot process it, and so they produce large quantities of very dilute urine. They have to drink anywhere between three and 30 liters of fluids a day to avoid dehydration, she added.

The patients’ doctors have been told about their medication change so as to avoid confusion. Svanadze explained: “We held a conference and made presentations for those doctors who have the patients with central diabetes insipidus to inform them about this medication as it is new and perhaps they did not know all the information about it before.”

Pavliashvili claimed that when the free supply runs out in a year, the state will buy this medication step by step.

“We are discussing this issue. At first, we will buy half the amount of the medication and the company will give us the rest for free. After some years we’ll be able to buy the total amount of the medication within our program,” said Pavliashvili.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven biopharmaceutical company that is oriented on identification, marketing and development the products in the fields of infertility, obstetrics, urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and osteoarthritis.

The Health and Social Programs Agency also has a program for those people who suffer from other forms of diabetes. “Within the state program we provide such patients with insulin and vaccines. Insulin regulates how much glucose is in the blood; this is a vital medication for such patients,” said Pavliashvili.