
Important Court Decision in Cancer Treatment
While the costs of drugs used in cancer treatment have become a major topic of discussion for patients and their families, an important decision has been made by the Ankara Labor Court. Medine Baloğlu began struggling with the diagnosis of “medullary thyroid cancer” in 2017. During this process, Baloğlu’s family, who were directed to smart drug treatment, had to go into debt to buy the drug, which was not covered by the Social Security Institution (SGK). Baloğlu, who made positive progress during the treatment process, unfortunately passed away last year due to respiratory failure.
Baloğlu's family requested the SGK to pay for the medicine they paid. However, SGK rejected this request. As a result of the family's determination, the court ruled that the cost of the medicine, amounting to 5.609,48 Euros, be paid to Baloğlu's heirs.
Emphasis on the 'Right to Life'
The family's lawyer Özlem Şen, who evaluated the decision for Cumhuriyet newspaper, stated that not paying for the medication was against the principles of "the right to life," "equality," and "the Republic of Turkey being a social state," as stated in the constitution. Şen emphasized that this decision would set a precedent for thyroid cancer patients, and said, "Although the decision has been appealed by the Social Security Institution, if it becomes final, it will pave the way for treatment to continue without the need for approval from the Ministry of Health."