Survey on application of severe acute pancreatitis to treatment-research project of intractable diseases

Abstract

Severe acute pancreatitis was designated as an object disease (intractable disease) of the treatment-research project of intractable diseases in January 1991. This treatment-research project of intractable disease was amended in 1998 and severe acute pancreatitis was chosen as a serious disease that was exempted from medical bill at the expense of the government. At the same time, however, the validity of the document was shortened to 6 months from 1 year. We surveyed the application of severe acute pancreatitis to this system and investigated the problems associated with the treatment-research project system of intractable disease. New applicants for the treatment-research project system doubled in five years, from 718 patients in 1998 to 1,433 patients in 2003. However, it was less than 30% of the estimated number of patients with severe acute pancreatitis. The renewal of documents decreased from 456 in 1998 to 152 in 2002. In 2003, the document for renewal was adopted, but the renewed applicants increased again to 183. However, the increase of the renewal of documents was limited only to one year, and renewal for more than one year was decreased. The reduced applications for the renewal of documents for several years suggest that the newly adopted documents are effective in reducing unnecessary renewal.