VA places new ALS treatment option on national coverage list

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has placed the first new Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment option for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in more than 20 years on its National Formulary for coverage.

The drug in question is Japanese drug major Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s (TYO: 4508) Radicava (edaravone), which gained FDA approval in May and was launched in the USA in August this year.

The VANF put in place a national prior authorization process, making it possible for veterans with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, to access treatment within VA’s comprehensive healthcare system. Radicava is not a cure for ALS, but it has been shown to slow decline in the loss of physical function.