Products tailored for babies allergic to cow’s milk proteins will be partially reimbursed from 1 June, according to the office of Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
Each year, around 4,800 children are born with an allergy to cow’s milk proteins, one of the most common food allergies in children under three. An appropriate diet free from cow’s milk proteins is crucial for sparing infants from the uncomfortable symptoms of this allergy during their early years.
Nearly 70% of affected babies can be easily treated with extensively hydrolysed protein formulas, which contain small protein fragments, rather than whole proteins made up of long chains of amino acids.
For about 30% of infants, if this diet is insufficient, amino acid-based formulas may be used. These have already been partially reimbursed.
Now, protein hydrolysates will also be reimbursed up to 50%. The cost of these formulas will be capped at €12, aligning more closely with the price of most standard baby foods.
To qualify for reimbursement, a specialised doctor must confirm a diagnosis and regularly monitor the infant to ensure the adapted diet remains necessary.
