The Junta de Andalucía is now funding the gene therapy Vyjuvek for clinically eligible people with epidermolysis bullosa. This was announced by regional president Juanma Moreno on 5 November 2026 at the opening of the conference “Piel de Mariposa: de la evidencia a la vida” at the Hospital Virgen del Rocío in Seville . According to the regional administration, 15 patients have been authorised for Vyjuvek; 11 of them have already started treatment.
The government in Seville says the move is necessary because a nationwide reimbursement framework has not yet been established. Although Vyjuvek is authorised in the European Union and in Spain, general funding by the Sistema Nacional de Salud is still pending. Moreno called on the central government to establish a nationwide solution swiftly. Until then, Andalusia will ensure that people affected in the region receive treatment.
On the epidemiological situation, the Junta de Andalucía says that, according to the patient organisation DEBRA more than 500 people with epidermolysis bullosa have been registered in Spain. The regional register lists 73 people affected in Andalusia, including 47 with the more severe dystrophic form. The regional government stresses that reliable access to therapy improves continuity of care for these patients, while political and financial questions about its permanent, nationwide inclusion in the healthcare system remain unresolved.
The health administration also announced complementary measures. The Servicio Andaluz de Salud is establishing a voluntary “red de odontólogos” to reduce oral complications and better manage risks such as medication-related jaw necrosis. In addition, healthcare professionals in hospitals and primary care are to receive targeted training, and the regional register is to be updated to support more precise planning of care.
Patient advocacy groups such as DEBRA have in recent months highlighted unequal access across the Autonomous Communities and called for the gene therapy to be swiftly included in routine public healthcare. Andalusia’s funding decision now addresses this gap at regional level, but does not change the fact that uniform reimbursement by the Sistema Nacional de Salud is still pending. Statements on the therapy’s efficacy and safety are based on authorisation decisions by the European and Spanish authorities; regarding its implementation in Andalusian facilities, the regional government refers to the authorisations mentioned and the treatments under way.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).