Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations produced a report which suggests that in Denmark from the date that a drug is approved by the European Medicines Agency, it will be available to people in the country within 176 days. The average time for this to happen in Ireland is 541 days. Orphan drug approval in Denmark takes 249 days whereas in Ireland it takes 870 days. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE, is doing a good job in assessing the medication, but it appears that we are not able to assess them or send them on to the next step for approval under the drugs refund scheme in a timely manner. Will serious consideration be given to reviewing the process that is currently in place? The health committee produced a report back in 2018 but it has not been acted on. I ask that this would be reviewed.

See this speech in context