Management of diabetes and diabetes policies in Turkey

Table 3 Rules of reimbursement for diabetes treatment

Treatment	Who can prescribe?	Patient restrictions	Other restrictions
Metformin, Sulfonylurea, human insulin	All physicians	-	-
Repaglinide, nateglinide combined preparations of other oral anti-diabetics	Endocrinologists, internists, cardiologists and family practitioners (specialized)*	-	-
Analog insulin, pioglitazone, oral combinations of pioglitazone or combined use of pioglitazone with insulin	Endocrinologists, internists, cardiologists and family practitioners (specialized)*	-	-
DPP-4 antagonists (sitagliptine, vildagliptine) and combination of DPP-4 antagonists by other oral anti-diabetics	Endocrinologists and internists at tertiary level*	Only to patients without glycemic control after the use of maximum tolerable dose treatment by metformin and sulfonylurea
Exanatide	Endocrinologists	• Patients without glycemic control with the use of metformin and sulfonylurea at maximum tolerable doses and with a body mass index over 35 kg/m2	• Cannot be used with insulin
			• Treatment stops after development of pancreatitis
		• Patients without history of pancreatitis	• Treatment stops after development of pancreatitis
Blood glucose meters and strips	• Endocrinologists, internists, or specialized family practitioners. *

* These can be prescribed by all physicians after a medical report issued by one of these specialists.

ISSN: 1744-8603