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“It just came to our knowledge then. I don’t know how some patients differ from each other. International research shows that patients at higher risk have advanced lung cancer,” S. Jarmalaitė, acting director of the institution, told BNS on Wednesday .
“There has been controversy, we have written to the ministry and patient organizations are in awe of such exclusivity,” he added.
According to the professor, blood cancer affects one tenth of all cancer patients, mostly children.
“It just came to our knowledge then. Of all patients with oncological disease. Probably this form usually affects children,” said the researcher.
She argues that the Department of Health (SAM) should set clearer priorities for vaccinating cancer patients against the coronavirus.
“I wrote my suggestion to SAM that all oncology patients are immunosuppressed (weak immunity – BNS) and they should all be listed in order of priority, but every dose of the vaccine is counted, so we must prioritize the discussion, and certainly not it was between oncologists, “said S.. Jarmalaitė.
The vaccination plan approved by A. Dulkis lists patients with other forms of cancer far below, which means that they will receive the vaccine later, after employees of educational institutions and others.
“Putting them in this position, I would say, is a misunderstanding of disease or risk … These priorities should be listed more precisely and none of the cancers should be separated into a separate category,” said the director of the Institute. National Cancer.
According to her, other countries do not exclude patients with individual forms of cancer, some countries simply exclude people with weaker immunity.
Laimonas Griškevičius, director of the Center for Hematology, Oncology and Transfusiology at the Santara Clinics and a member of the expert council, says that the order of vaccination of cancer patients is based on the assessment of mortality risk.
“The priority list has been debated in the expert council for a long time and has been compiled mainly on the basis of the risk of death in COVID-19,” L. Grisevicius told BNS.
According to him, research shows that people with blood cancer have a 34% risk of dying from coronavirus. and higher than in other cancer patients.
“Compared to other cancer patients, that risk is much higher (…) I follow the published data. Research clearly shows who is most at risk, “said the doctor.
However, according to L. Griškevičius, the vaccination order list could be changed if Lithuania receives more COVID-19 vaccines.
The vaccination was launched in Lithuania in late December with a vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer.
On Wednesday, the European Medicines Agency approved the second vaccine produced by the American company Moderna.
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