Issue link: https://www.hub.camaf.co.za/i/679536
6 healthcare Technology BiologicS great advances in medicines have been made to treat diseases and medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease and certain cancers. this is in the form of biological drugs, also known as biologics, which are required in some circumstances where all regular treatment regimens have been exhausted or are clearly inadequate, or where no effective treatment is available. they are medical products which are manufactured from a variety of natural sources (human, animal or microorganism). other biologics are used to prevent or diagnose diseases. exaMples of biological producTs include • vaccines • blood and blood products for transfusion and/or manufacturing into other products • allergenic extracts, which are used for both diagnosis and treatment (for example, allergy shots) • human cells and tissues used for transplantation (for example, tendons, ligaments and bone) • gene therapies • cellular therapies • tests to screen potential blood donors for infectious agents such as hiv given the high levels of research and development on these new drugs, current dispensing costs are extremely high and typically run into hundreds of thousands. Unlike most medical schemes, caMaF does not apply a monetary limit or co-payments in funding these treatments, nor is their availability to a member benefit option specific. our medical advisor together with our managed care team will assess the clinical risks associated with the treatment and make suggestions based on international evidence based medicine. 6 healthcare Technology