Georg Polic suffers from a muscle wasting disease that is fatal without treatment. But this is very expensive and to get it the boy and his mother had to overcome enormous obstacles. Ultimately, donors funded the life-saving treatment. After a ruling by the Supreme Court, the hospital now has to pay.
Georg Polic turned 18 on Saturday. Just six years ago he was doomed to die. The young Styrian suffers from a muscle wasting disease (spinal muscular atrophy), which is fatal without treatment.
But Styrian hospital operator Kages refused to treat the boy with the life-saving drug Spinraza. Too expensive, under-researched. The cost per syringe is 77,000 euros.
Legal victory
For his mother Claudia and the Graz lawyer Karin Prutsch-Lang, a long fight for the life of the seriously ill boy began – the ‘Krone’ has reported about it again and again.
But the lawyer achieved what no one had thought possible: “For the first time in Austria, we enforced an order that Georg should be treated – and we won that he would be treated forever,” Prutsch-Lang says proudly.
With each passing day, Georg gains strength and courage to face life. He goes to school, loves technology and lives a limited but normal teenage life.
The hospital must pay afterwards
Now there is a particularly emotional victory to announce: the OGH decided (unlike the first two bodies) that the Kages should also pay for the three syringes that were funded solely by donors in 2019 and saved Georg’s life.
And what do these wonderful donors do? They give the money to the young person. The account will be opened on Monday, what does he want? “A small car and a wheelchair for all terrain. I like being in the woods with my dog,” he laughs.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
