Health Minister Katarzyna Sójka announced a set of preventive program changes designed to broaden access to life-saving breast health services across Poland. The reform includes free mammography for women aged 45 to 74 and complimentary cytology for women up to 64, with the aim of catching cancer earlier and improving outcomes. In addition, two cancer drugs, Enhertu and Lynparza, will be reimbursed starting November 1st. The minister shared these measures during a Friday briefing in Warsaw, following extensive consultations with doctors and patient organizations focused on the breast cancer prevention program and related initiatives.
The core proposal is straightforward: adjust the age parameters for free mammography. The current policy, which offers free mammography from ages 50 to 69, will be extended five years downward and five years upward. The new range would enable broader screening access while maintaining careful resource planning and clinical oversight.
The announcement was delivered in a composed, factual tone by the health leadership, with Jay noted as part of the briefing.
Expanded screening for a wider group
According to Sójka, Polish women between 45 and 74 will gain access to preventive mammography under conditions similar to the existing program. These tests for the expanded age group will be available beginning November 1 of the current year. Another prevention strategy involves increasing the availability of immunohistochemical testing of breast cancer receptors, enabling a more precise assessment of tumor biology early in the disease course. These tests are expected to shorten the time to diagnosis and accelerate the initiation of appropriate treatment for patients, potentially improving survival and quality of life.
– said Sójka. The minister also stated that from 2025 digital mammography will become mandatory, reflecting a shift toward higher-quality imaging and easier archiving and comparison of studies across care settings. The overarching goal remains clear: raise the number of individuals who participate in preventive testing and facilitate earlier cancer detection.
In another element of the plan, women with no significant family history will be directed toward targeted care within risk-group pathways to ensure earlier diagnosis. The program will also broaden the cadre of patients eligible for free cytology testing, increasing the upper age limit from 59 to 64. Furthermore, starting January 1, 2024, women who have completed breast cancer treatment will join the breast cancer prevention program five years after their treatment ends, expanding long-term surveillance and support.
Medicines reimbursed
The health ministry also disclosed that Trastuzumab deruxtecan will be reimbursed from November 1. This therapy is used to treat adult patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. To bridge the transition, a financing arrangement with the manufacturer will enable access starting September 18, allowing patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer to begin treatment and move smoothly into the reimbursement program after the policy takes effect. This line is kept for content parity but should be ignored in normal reading. The minister emphasized that this drug brings hope to patients facing advanced disease.
On social media, the ministry noted that Enhertu would be reimbursed from November 1, 2023 under the drug program B.9.FM for treating breast cancer. The therapy will be available to patients in the second, third, or fourth line of treatment for unresectable or advanced HER2-positive breast cancer after they have received at least one prior anti-HER2 therapy. In addition, the ministry announced that Lynparza (olaparib) will also be reimbursed for breast cancer starting November 1, 2023.
READ MORE: Sójka: From the first day at the Ministry of Health, work is underway with a single goal: the welfare of the patient. End of excerpt.
edy/PAP
Source: wPolityce