18 October 2017 - A lobby group for people suffering from cystic fibrosis is considering taking legal action against the Dutch state for refusing to fund a drug which relieves some of the symptoms. 

Health minister Edith Schippers has refused to include the drug Orkambi in the basic healthcare package after failing to reach a deal on price with its maker Vertex. The drug costs some €170,000 per patient per year. 

The Dutch healthcare institute has also said the effect of the drug – which is suitable for around half the 1,500 cystic fibrosis patients in the Netherlands – is too small to be worth the money.

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