Results 841-860 of 2,022 for speaker:John Brassil

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: This is the final vote on the Water Services Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: Will the committee continue until we return?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I thank the representatives of the HSE for coming in to address the committee. I will get straight to the nub of the issue as I see it. A total of 148 orphan drugs are available to deal with rare diseases and ultra-rare diseases. Of those, 53 qualify for reimbursement in Ireland, which is 36%. While I do not want to get into other countries' models and how they deal with it, if we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: That is good to hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: Mr. Flanagan said that the current process focuses companies, so I wanted to focus the HSE as well. I want to get a negotiated settlement for this drug. I have a constituent in my village, who I did not realise until the AV presentation suffered from this condition. The boy's mother gave me a detailed breakdown of her day and how they deal with the diet and counting out 22 chips for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I am almost done. I thank the Chairman for being patient, but I set my time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I would like to use the opportunity to the best of my ability. I have a number of specific questions. When the HSE is considering an orphan drug for a rare disease, is it treated separately or is it treated in the same way as every other drug? If the HSE does not put orphan drugs into a separate box, I think it should. What do the officials from the HSE think should happen to speed up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I will forward a breakdown of my figures to Mr. Hennessy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: My contributions are not by way of being critical, they are by way of asking how we improve the system. I fully appreciate the work that the witnesses do and that their goal is the same as mine. The witnesses do not need to be defensive as far as I am concerned. I respect what they are doing. I am just trying to improve what we do with the resources we have to make as many new and orphan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I accept that, but what I originally said was that the witnesses do not have to go by those criteria. They can decide that it is not relevant in this case; it is not possible because due to the low patient cohort, they cannot get the clinical data; they can make a call on this on a separate basis and I think they have to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I am throwing into the mix then the biosimilar and I think we are close enough in our thoughts in it. When a drug comes off patent, competition applies. Companies will do their level best to hold on to as much as they can and get as much as they can for it but there is nothing that we should be doing that in any way prevents us from getting the best possible value, and I make no apologies...

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate.

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate. I have severe reservations about the Bill. My background is in pharmacy. I have had the opportunity through my working career to encounter issues such as those raised by Deputy O'Reilly, for example, teratogenic problems among mothers who are on Epilim, people becoming chronically addicted to benzodiazepines, and people who have been...

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: That is why it should be-----

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: That is why the use of any drug-----

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. That is why the use of any drug should be done in line with the strictest safety regulations, including medicinal cannabis. I have no issue with its use as long as it is proven to be safe and goes through the correct channels. Deputy Barry said the Bill is not flawed and he will not be changing it. If it is not flawed-----

Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 Report: Motion [Private Members] (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: -----do not change it. If he does not want to change it and does not believe it is flawed, that is fine. We will see where it goes.

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: To follow on from Deputy Ferris's contribution, I will not be repetitive because there is a very straightforward ask. To commence the process in September for completion the following June does not give enough time and it needs to commence 12 months earlier. If that happened, one would get the assessments done, get the funding in place and get the staff in place, which would give some hope...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: I welcome the indication that the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, will meet us. Deputy Ferris and I have requested that meeting. I am sure that Deputies Michael Healy-Rae, Danny Healy-Rae and Griffin have as well. After the previous meeting, we committed to the parents to raise this issue in the Dáil - thankfully, it has been taken as a Topical Issue - and to try to arrange...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Invasive Plant Species (9 Nov 2017)

John Brassil: 225. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided to Kerry County Council to allow it to carry out treatment of Japanese knotweed along regional and local roads (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47408/17]