Reimbursement for bowel endoscopy

This decision provides reimbursement for around seven million Czech citizens covered by the Vseobecna zdravotni pojistovna insurance company. The policy covers its use for suspected small bowel disease including bleeding, tumours and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) following a negative gastroscopy or colonoscopy.
Gavriel D Meron, president and CEO of Given Imaging, said: ‘We continue to work closely with officials from the Ministries of Health in those countries where PillCam is not yet reimbursed and anticipate additional policies to be issued in 2006.’

Based in Yoqneam, Israel, Given Imaging specialises in products to detect gastrointestinal disorders. The firm reports that PillCam SB video capsule endoscopy is now marketed in the USA and more than 50 other countries, making it available for around 260,000 patients worldwide. Additional capsules for visualisation of the stomach and colon are under development.
Source: Given Imaging Ltd.

01.03.2006