by Flavio Bellante | 25 Apr 2025 | campagne, Event, News, patients, professionals
Dear Sir,
Dear Madam,
We are pleased to invite you to the first meeting dedicated to the organisation of stroke care in Belgium.
The Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E) was launched in 2018 with the aim of improving stroke prevention, treatment and care across Europe by 2030. Its mission is to provide a framework for national governments and healthcare systems to strengthen stroke care and ensure equitable access to quality care for all citizens. SAP-E defines clear objectives in the areas of primary prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and life after stroke. In addition, it encourages the collection of data via the Stroke Service Tracker in order to monitor progress and influence health policies at national and European level.
Belgium currently has neither a national stroke register nor a national stroke plan, which is the focus of this first meeting.
Further details and the preliminary programme are available in french or dutch .
We hope to see many of you there! We expect a maximum of 2 participants per hospital.
Please confirm your attendance by 1 June via info@belgianstrokecouncil.be
Yours sincerely,
Sylvie De Raedt, Laetitia Yperzeele, François Delvoye SAP-E National Coordinators, on behalf of the Belgian Stroke Council
by Flavio Bellante | 3 Apr 2025 | News, professionals
Starting May 2, Tenecteplase will be reimbursed in Belgium, with a price of €852.20 per vial (25mg), which is in line with the price of Alteplase (thrombolytic agent currently used in acute stroke care).
What is Tenecteplase?
Tenecteplase is a genetically modified variant of alteplase, designed to provide several key advantages in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. It has a higher specificity for fibrin, which means it more effectively targets the clot.
In addition, Tenecteplase has a longer half-life than alteplase, enabling it to be administered as a single bolus dose. The simplified dosing regimen (dose adaptation to weight in steps of 10kg instead of 1kg) makes it easier to administer. This simplifies the treatment process, eliminating the need for the continuous infusion required with alteplase and reducing the chances of dosing errors.
Research shows that Tenecteplase is at least as effective as alteplase in achieving successful reperfusion and improving patient outcomes. Moreover, Tenecteplase has been shown to be as safe as alteplase, offering a valuable option for stroke care.
If you are interested, read here the recommendation on the use of tenecteplase by ESO published in 2023.
by Flavio Bellante | 18 Sep 2024 | News, professionals, Research
The Belgian Stroke Council is currently awaiting a decision by FAGG and RIZIV/INAMI regarding marketing and reimbursement of tenecteplase (TNK) for treatment of acute ischemic stroke in Belgium.
Based on the current evidence obtained from randomized, controlled trials comparing TNK with alteplase (tPA), the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) has stated that TNK (dosed at 0.25mg/kg) may be used as an alternative for tPA in eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke. The effectiveness and safety of TNK is comparable to tPA. Acute stroke patients with an occlusion of a large intracranial blood vessel may particularly benefit from TNK.
For more information, we refer to the BSC opinion statement and the ESO guideline on the use of TNK, attached to this post.
BSC opinion statement in dutch
BSC opinion statement in french
ESO guideline on TNK use
by Flavio Bellante | 20 Jun 2024 | associations, campagne, News, patients
The Stroke Alliance for Stroke ( SAFE) and the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) have published a manifesto outlining a number of keypoints to improve prevention, treatment and support for stroke patients across Europe. In the meantime, a letter has been sent to all Belgian members of the European Parliament and Belgian ministers of health, asking them to consider including these initiatives in their electoral programs. Read the manifesto here and the letter sent to our ministers here
by Flavio Bellante | 20 Jun 2024 | campagne, Event, News, professionals
On 23 May 2024, the BSC published a press release applauding the recognition of Belgian S2 centres, but calling for uniform certification criteria across the country. Read it here
