On the 11th, a patient group submitted approximately 10,000 signatures to the government seeking early approval in Japan for a drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an intractable disease that has been approved overseas.
ALS is an intractable disease in which the muscles of the whole body gradually stop moving, and no fundamental cure has been found.
Two types of drugs have been approved in Japan to suppress the progression of symptoms, but in the United States and Canada, a new drug called "Relibrio" was also approved by September last year.
The ALS patient group visited the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on the afternoon of the 11th and handed about 10,000 signatures to the person in charge, requesting early approval of "Relibrio" in Japan and expanding treatment options.
In order to expedite the approval process, patient groups are requesting that the system of "special approval" and "emergency approval" applied to new coronavirus vaccines be used.
Also, regarding the drugs for suppressing the progression of ALS, which are being tested in Japan, I would like them to be able to use those that have been evaluated for safety and efficacy in the intermediate stage.
Former president of soccer J3 FC Gifu and chairman of the Japan ALS Association Seitaka Onda, who participated in an online conference, said, "Not only for ALS, but for patients with progressive intractable diseases, the race against time is important. A friend who was looking forward to a therapeutic drug is dying. There are examples of early approval, such as the vaccine for the new corona, so I would like you to open the door to patients with intractable diseases." .