David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hope we will see movement on this issue in January. The drug is a treatment for severe eczema, which causes inflamed, dry and broken skin, which is exhausting to treat, painful and intensely itchy. I have met many people who suffer from this unfortunate disease and many healthcare professionals who are campaigning on the issue. While the issue is apolitical, we all get lobbied on these issues from time to time and I am very clear as to what our role is. Equally, however, when I listen to healthcare professionals who say there is something profoundly wrong with the drug approval process in this State, and very often we find ourselves the last EU state to approve drugs, I believe it is an area we need to review on an ongoing basis. I have asked the Oireachtas health committee to examine this and to work with Deputy Donnelly as Minister for Health. If we can make improvements in this area while still keeping in place the apolitical process that is in place, we should consider doing so.

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