Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Like Deputy Gino Kenny, a constituent of mine has a child with this disease. Obviously, it is a hugely debilitating disease and the family is very concerned in that regard. Fortunately, it was picked up by the heel prick test, which is carried out after the child is born. I disagree with one point made by Deputy Gino Kenny. I am not looking for the Minister to overrule the decision. I am asking him to change the assessment process because this drug will never succeed in being passed under the assessment process at present. As I mentioned in my initial contribution, the assessment process at present only suits tests relating to oncology or other more prominent diseases. This is a rare disease and the structure and the criteria that are there will never allow this drug to be used, which is the crucial point. The criteria for testing drugs dealing with these very rare diseases need to be changed. The process of assessing the drugs needs to be changed in order for this drug to be approved. I suggest that the Minister goes back and looks at the criteria.

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