Product choice and haemophilia treatment in the Netherlands

Abstract

In the Netherlands, there is a free choice of product for the treatment of haemophilia. Which product is chosen depends on the following considerations: medical, psychological, availability of clotting products, economics and government guidelines. Since the introduction of recombinant product in 1995, the percentage of Dutch patients treated with it has increased from 8% in 1995 to 20% in 1998. In 1999, an average of 48% of patients visiting the Van Creveldkliniek were treated with recombinant product. Children are more often treated with recombinant product than adults; 93% of children between 0 and 5 years, 53% of children between 6 and 20 years and 40% of adults are treated with recombinant product.