Overview
- Federal drug commissioner Hendrik Streeck questioned routinely prescribing very expensive medicines to very old patients during an appearance on WELT TV’s Meinungsfreiheit on November 12.
- He cited the hypothetical case of a 100-year-old patient to argue that some high-priced treatments may offer too little benefit to justify use at extreme age.
- Pointing to advanced cancers, he referenced a theoretical study showing about a 10% mortality reduction to illustrate modest gains that may not translate for centenarians.
- He recounted his late father’s lung cancer care, saying significant spending on the newest therapies in the final weeks brought no benefit.
- Coverage decisions in Germany are made by the G-BA within the statutory system, where patient representatives advise without voting rights, and no policy change has been announced.