Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Funding of Orphan Drugs: Discussion

9:00 am

Professor Gerry McElvaney:

I did not answer one question about companies discontinuing drugs. It does happen. When conducting Alpha-1 trials in Ireland, we insist on a patient continuing on the drug until a decision is made on reimbursement. That is the very least companies should do. The problem for us is that the issue of reimbursement drags on so long.