Hyderabad: Cost of treatment for Guillain Barre syndrome is very high, government assistance required

Hyderabad: Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a curable disease! However, the cost of treating GBS patients is high, ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The cost can go up even further, as 20 to 25 per cent of GBS patients require ventilator support, which is highly expensive in private hospitals in Hyderabad. Since the treatment involves a lot of rehabilitation, ventilator support and even physical disability, individuals with medical insurance will struggle with the out-of-pocket expenses. Dr Sudhir Kumar, a senior neurologist in Hyderabad, known for his public health advice on the social media platform X (@hyderabaddoctor), explained that government help would be required for such individuals. As for the actual treatment and cost, based on the prescribed guidelines, Dr Sudhir Kumar explains that immunotherapy should be the preferred choice of treatment for doctors. “Immunotherapy through intravenous globulin (IVIG) is the drug of choice for the treatment of GBS. The total dose is 2 grams per kilogram of body weight, divided over 5 days, and given as an infusion,” he advised. For example, for a patient weighing 60 kg, the total dose required would be 120 grams (60 times 2). This dose would be divided over 5 days (25 grams each from day one to day four and 20 grams on the fifth day), he added. IVIG injections are sold in two dosage forms including 5 gram and 10 gram vials, with each vial costing around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. “So, the total cost of IVIG alone would be around Rs 2,50,000 to Rs 3,00,000 for a patient,” explains Dr Sudhir. Apart from the medicines, GBS treatment also includes hospital stay, ICU care and ventilation, if patients require it. Dr. Sudhir said, “After being discharged from the hospital, most patients need to undergo physiotherapy for 2-3 months for better recovery. This cost also needs to be taken into account. Therefore, the total cost of treatment for a person suffering from GBS is likely to be Rs 4 to 5 lakh.” Apart from all this, there will be additional indirect costs including loss of income from the job due to illness and physical disability (for at least 1 to 3 months).