First time implemented in Turkey: Domestic technology in cancer treatment.

01.03.2025 21:50

Health Minister Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu stated that a protocol has been signed to ensure that the clinical research and production stages of the new generation genetic therapy CD19 CAR-T cell therapy, which offers hope for the treatment of certain types of blood cancer, will be carried out for the first time in Turkey by a local company. Memişoğlu said, "We will soon share many such good news with our society."

Health Minister Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu answered questions from the press regarding current issues.

DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGY IN CANCER TREATMENT

Stating that the health vision that protects, produces, and develops has started to bear its first fruits, Minister Memişoğlu noted that a protocol has been signed to ensure that the clinical research and production phases of the new generation genetic therapy CD19 CAR-T cell therapy, which is a hope for the treatment of certain types of blood cancer, will be carried out for the first time in Turkey by a domestic company. Emphasizing that with the support of the Turkish Health Institutes Presidency (TÜSEB), it is now possible to develop all kinds of drugs, medical devices, or products from idea to product with domestic resources in Turkey, Minister Memişoğlu stated that sensors vital for monitoring type 1 diabetes seen in childhood have also started to be produced domestically and will be made available for patients' use in June.

"WE WILL DELIVER MANY GOOD NEWS TO OUR SOCIETY VERY SOON"

Stating that Turkey is in a very good place regarding health services, Minister Memişoğlu said, "We have also been making great efforts in health technology and health-related information production for the last 10 years. Especially with the support of our President's policies that promote producing health, we have entered a process of accelerating this. CAR-T Cell is one of the advanced technology treatment methods in cancer treatment. We will also produce this domestically in a very short time and make it available to our people. TÜSEB is also a part of this. We consider the Turkish Health Institutes Presidency as the locomotive of producing health. We have also passed a law regarding this. Now, in Turkey, anyone with an idea in the field of science can combine their science, research, industry, and university from the idea stage onwards to turn it into a commercial product, creating a 'from idea to product' model of producing health. One of the first fruits of this will be CAR-T Cell. TÜSEB is working in many areas. Our country produced ventilators during Covid. We have the know-how and knowledge to produce everything from lung pumps to heart valves. We will deliver many such good news to our society very soon. Because we want to be one of the leading countries in the world that not only provides health services but also produces the technology and science of health. We have the human power, infrastructure, and political will and support. In a few years, many devices, materials, and drugs related to health will gradually start to emerge in Turkey," he said.

'WE NEED TO MAKE PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING NEW MOLECULES'

Expressing that Turkey is still not at the desired level in producing original molecules in drug production, Minister Memişoğlu stated, "We can produce drugs on a box basis, but we need to improve in terms of our own molecules or devices. A protocol has been signed in this regard, and hopefully, by 2026 at the latest, we will have delivered such treatment methods to our people. Another strategic aspect we see is that the scientific studies approved or supported by TÜSEB will now be covered by the Social Security Institution in terms of patient costs. In other words, you will produce a drug or develop a device. You need to conduct the scientific study for this. You need to prove its efficacy and safety scientifically, and for that, you need to conduct phase studies. You need to demonstrate that the device, drug, or application method is beneficial for everyone to use. This is what we call 'evidence-based medicine.' These stages consist of Phase 0, Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3. Animal experiments, clinical studies on volunteers, and similar processes have been carried out this way for centuries," he said.

DOMESTIC SENSOR FOR CHILDREN WITH DIABETES

Continuing his statement, Minister Memişoğlu said, "If it is truly an original idea and TÜSEB decides to 'let's work on it,' then here, the materials to be used in clinical studies related to a drug or method that has reached Phase 1 from the idea stage, as well as the costs of volunteers and similar expenses, can be financially supported by the SGK. Normally, this is an expensive method in the international market. If we produce it domestically, we can reduce this cost and make it a strategic product of our own. International companies can finance these phases as sponsors. It is also very valuable for us to turn a doctor's idea in Turkey into a viable commercial product or method. This will also reduce our dependency on foreign sources. Today, we are making mobile X-ray devices, monitors, and many other devices. Let me give you another good news; with the instruction of our President, the use of glucose sensors (by being covered by insurance) for children under 18 has been ensured. We are currently producing the domestic version, and hopefully, it will be ready for use in June-July. TÜSEB has made significant progress in this regard. It will be completely domestic, and I believe it will even be better than the international counterparts we currently use," he said.

THANKS TO FAMILY DOCTORS

Speaking about reducing the population per physician in family medicine from 4,000 to 3,500 and the new regulation, Minister Memişoğlu said, "Our main goal is to protect our health without getting sick. Family medicine will provide this. The doctor closest to the person's home and family is the family doctor. Each family doctor has a population they are responsible for. There used to be a population of 4,000, and we expected these people to come to the family doctor on their own. However, unfortunately, such a habit has not developed in society, especially in the middle-aged group. Because there was a health center system before that," he stated.

Minister Memişoğlu also emphasized that there are people who have never visited their registered family doctor even once, and continued his remarks as follows: "We are trying to change this mentality. We have currently reduced the number to 3,500, but we also told the family doctor this: You are responsible for the health of this population. If there is a need to go to the hospital less than a year ago, it means you are successful. Because it means that the population under your care has decreased in their need to go to the hospital. Then we provide incentives that are three times higher than your salary if this population needs less medication than a year ago. If this population is satisfied with you compared to the city average, it means you are really taking care of this population. We diagnosed chronic diseases in the elderly group even before they started. I really thank family doctors; they have done very valuable work for us and continue to do so."

1.5 MILLION CHRONIC PATIENTS DETECTED IN FAMILY DOCTORS' SCREENING IN TWO MONTHS

Minister Memişoğlu stated the following in his remarks: "May God bless each of them. Especially family doctors. In November and December, they screened approximately 10 million of our citizens one by one and diagnosed that 1-5 million people had chronic diseases without even being aware of it.

They are currently monitoring and treating them. They have made it possible for 1.5 million people to monitor their blood sugar, kidney failure, and blood pressure before the disease progresses further. I would like to thank them for this. Our first door, our top priority should be Family Medicine. I express my gratitude here to my family physicians, nearly 90% of whom have achieved this. There is another fundamental and preventive health aspect that most people do not know. We have 285 Healthy Life Centers in Turkey. In these 285 Healthy Life Centers, people have access to everything from physical therapy to dietitians, sociologists to child development specialists, dentists, preventive dentistry, cancer screenings, prenatal education to maternal education, psychologists, and even Pilates, all for free. We have made it possible for family physicians to book appointments for their patients from here. At the same time, we have made it possible for patients to be referred from the hospital to there. So, let's say you are at the hospital, and the endocrinologist deems it necessary for the patient to see a dietitian; you can go to the Healthy Life Center dietitian, make an appointment, and start your diet.

INTEGRATED FAMILY PHYSICIANS WITH HOSPITALS

Minister Memişoğlu explained that family physicians have been integrated with hospitals, saying, "So, this family physician with a population of 3,500, if one of their patients needs to go to the hospital, we have allocated 10% of the quota from all hospitals to family physicians. The family physician can make appointments for individuals in their population with the relevant hospitals in the relevant branches. Nearly 1.5 million people are currently making appointments and receiving treatment for their diseases in this way. This ensures that we prevent unnecessary visits to the wrong branch or to the hospital. We are now enabling communication between the family physician and the physician in the hospitals. Thus, your family physician can also follow all procedures to be performed in the hospital, etc. We want our citizens to see family medicine as a more effective door to solve their problems without going to the hospital or the emergency room. Our family physicians will prioritize prevention, not just treatment," he said.

IF THE PHYSICIAN DEEMS IT NECESSARY, AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE MADE

Minister Memişoğlu expressed his request to the citizens, saying: "I also want this from our citizens, everyone should trust their physician. Physicians are dedicated individuals who have received years of training to keep people healthy or to treat them when they become ill. We are not just practicing a profession; this is a job that also has a spiritual aspect. Therefore, we must do what the physician says. We are talking about a physician who has received years of training and knows your body. We do not want citizens to go to their family physician and say, 'Prescribe this medication, this film' or 'Refer me to the hospital.' We want our citizens to express their concerns to their family physician and let the physician decide what needs to be done. If the family physician deems it appropriate, they will refer them to second or third-level institutions. I do not want pressure to be put on family physicians saying, 'I couldn't get an appointment; please make an appointment for me.' We do not want the family physician to give this appointment if it is not necessary. If the patient really needs to go to the hospital, and the physician deems it necessary, we want them to make an appointment. Or if medication is to be prescribed, we do not want pressure to be applied if the family physician does not want to prescribe it. Today, when you use unnecessary antibiotics, both the resistance of microbes increases, and our rate of treating diseases decreases. Unnecessary antibiotic use can create risks that can harm our kidneys, liver, and every part of the body. Many of you have excess medications in your refrigerator or around you; we use half of them and do not use the other half. Or we use them unnecessarily. Therefore, I request that our society only use medications if their family physician or the physician they are consulting deems it appropriate. After all, those who practice the science and knowledge of this work are the physicians. They are the ones who know the benefits and harms to humans. It is not right to use medication just because a neighbor said so or something similar.

HOME MEDICATION REPORT FOR THOSE OVER 85

Minister Memişoğlu spoke about a new application that allows individuals over 85 years old to obtain reports for their chronic diseases without going to hospitals, saying: "Our elderly were struggling to obtain reports in hospitals to get their medications. This is a significant risk and a very cumbersome task for them. We want to allow citizens in this age group, our elders, to write their reports directly from where they are. We will also do something very soon. We are working on that as well. When the duration of medication reports is about to expire, we will say, 'Your medication report is expiring; we have come to renew your report.' With home health care, our elderly patients can now obtain their reports without going to the hospital.

WORKING IN WINTER CONDITIONS WITH EMERGENCY FLEETS

Minister Memişoğlu noted that Turkey has an incredible infrastructure, healthcare service capacity, and human resources, and provided the following information about emergency services: "Since 2008, we have been working with our first helicopters, and since 2010, we have been transporting our patients with all our air ambulances. Currently, Turkey has 5,613 land ambulances, 513 snow-tracked ambulances, helicopters, and air ambulances, all at the service of our patients. In urban areas, the ambulance's response time to an incident is under 10 minutes 90% of the time. In rural areas, this time is under 30 minutes. This is far above world standards. Currently, in most countries, patients can wait for hours for an ambulance. I express my gratitude and appreciation to my 50,000 employees working in emergency services. They have performed very important duties in UMKE and emergency services, and they continue to do so. Thanks to our sea, air, land, and specialized ambulances (such as obesity ambulances, newborn ambulances, etc.) and our motorized ambulances, we provide these services to our people.

COLOR ADJUSTMENT FOR AMBULANCES

Minister Memişoğlu also stated, "I want to express two things, and it is beneficial for our citizens to show sensitivity to this. First, we do not want 112 to be called unnecessarily. This is unfair to other people. Secondly, for our ambulances, the zipper method should be used in traffic to allow passage on the roads.

We have also made a new regulatory change regarding ambulances. The 112 ambulances, that is, the red ambulances, will now be differentiated in color from the ambulances that will transport chronic patients. We have given an adaptation period until the end of this year. We will change the color of the transport ambulances to gray. Thus, if there is a real emergency patient inside, it will only activate its lights or siren. Additionally, we are ensuring that the ambulances are institutional. We have implemented such a regulation because we do not want personal ambulances. There is also an adaptation period for that until the end of 2025. Starting from the beginning of 2026, the colors of the 112 ambulances and the ambulances transporting chronic patients will be differentiated. Furthermore, we have equipped all ambulances with electronic systems, and we are making them manageable, including the interior. We are making this mandatory. In other words, it will be possible to manage in real-time, in a way that the command center can be informed about which patient is inside the ambulance, where it is going, and the patient's condition. We will also track where the patient inside the ambulance is going, including their condition, in connection with the safety authorities," he said.