South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare is reviewing a proposal that would expand insurance coverage for Epidiolex, a cannabis-derived epilepsy medication approved in the country since 2019.
The proposed changes would make Epidiolex available under the national health insurance program for a broader group of patients. Currently, only those diagnosed with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome qualify for coverage. If the revisions are adopted, coverage would be extended to include tuberous sclerosis, a rare condition that also causes severe seizures and for which Epidiolex is already approved in South Korea.
The move would also lower the treatment threshold. Right now, patients must prove they’ve unsuccessfully tried at least five traditional epilepsy medications before qualifying for insurance coverage. Under the revised rules, that number would be reduced to three.
Epidiolex, developed by GW Pharmaceuticals, contains cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of marijuana. It has been shown to significantly reduce seizure frequency in patients with rare forms of epilepsy. The U.S. FDA approved the medication in 2018, and it has since been cleared for use in multiple countries.
Despite its approval in South Korea, strict coverage rules have meant only a small number of patients receive insurance benefits. A single bottle of Epidiolex costs over 1.2 million won (about $900), with patients typically needing three bottles a month. Government subsidies introduced in 2021 reduced the cost to around 200,000 won per bottle, but access remains limited.
There are an estimated 500,000 people with epilepsy in South Korea and 65 million worldwide.
