Court orders Social Security Institution to cover mandatory medication for kidney cancer patient

A.U., a resident of Adana who has been battling kidney cancer for 5 years, sought legal recourse because they lacked the financial means to purchase the cancer drug Opdivo, which is necessary for their treatment. 

Through their lawyer Büşra Kanat, they filed a lawsuit on June 5, 2024, requesting that the medication be covered free of charge by the Social Security Institution (SGK).

TO BE COVERED WITHOUT INTERRUPTION BY THE SGK

The court ruled that the cost of the drug named 'Opdivo, containing the active ingredient nivolumab,' which is of vital importance in A.U.'s cancer treatment, must be covered by the SGK without interruption or deduction.

The presiding judge stated that the use of this medication is mandatory for the plaintiff's treatment and that a delay could result in serious harm, while also taking into account the 'Principle of the Social State' in the Constitution.

The court ordered the medication to be covered by the SGK between June 6, 2024, and December 6, 2024. A letter was sent to the relevant SGK unit for the implementation of the decision, and the monthly medication cost of approximately 75 thousand liras was assumed by the SGK. Lawyer Büşra Kanat stated that her client began using their medication following the court's decision.

News Source: 12punto