Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate the Minister of State's reply, but we must recall that the Minister for Health, when on this side of the House, accused a previous Minister of criminal negligence with regard to the delay in the roll-out of the HPV vaccination programme for girls. What we are looking at is a reduction in the threshold for determining value for money which will ensure people will die because they will not be able to access the necessary breakthrough drugs. A case in point was Ipilimumab, but there are many more, including Pradaxa, Sycrest, Victrelis, Brilique and Gilenya. These are all drugs that should be made available, but the HSE has reduced the threshold from €40,000 to €20,000, which means it has put a lower value on life.

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