Results 8,961-8,980 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and agreeing to respond to the issue I raised on orphan drugs. Yesterday, the health committee heard presentations from the HSE and the body which approves drugs under the reimbursement scheme. There were also presentations from other organisations which expressed their concerns about delays. Orphan drugs are drugs for small groups of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I accept the Minister of State's response. The drugs which are going for approval have already gone through the whole scientific process. First, there is no doubt that the drugs have been approved and would be of benefit. Second, there is the mechanism that comes into play thereafter. I accept where the HSE is coming from, that if a particular price is required for a drug then that...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: Yesterday, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health decided to reject the draft Bill proposed by Deputy Gino Kenny. We took very detailed legal advice on the matter and it was found that the Bill had serious defects. It is important to convey the message that medicinal cannabis is available where a medical consultant is satisfied that it would benefit a patient. That consultant can apply...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I refer to a particular area that is very close to oncology. As many as three of the six people did not turn up for their appointments.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: The HSE could introduce simple measures such as texts to solve the problem of non-attendance. Many units text patients in order to remind them of their appointments. Texts would be one way to solve the problem and should be introduced in all cases.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for bringing forward and dealing with this debate. It is important to emphasise again that there is a triple lock system involved in this matter. It requires a UN mandate, approval by the Government and approval by the Dáil. We are going through that system. We have done that before in respect of peacekeeping operations. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for attending the meeting and giving us the detailed presentation. This is a complex area. My opening question relates to the population of Ireland and the overall cost of medications compared to other jurisdictions. Is there any comparison for what pharmaceuticals are costing us per head of population? The witness referred to a budget of approximately €2...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: On generic drugs, are the witnesses telling me that in the past three years, there has really only been a saving of less than 10%? It is €2 billion per annum and if we take €120 million out, is that €120 million over three years or €120 million per annum? If it is €120 million per annum then it is a minute saving of around 8% out of €2 billion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: In real terms then, we are making no progress on drug cost savings for the HSE.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: My problem is that per head of population, we are paying far more than an awful lot of other EU jurisdictions. When one goes back to the German situation, the Germans are not paying out the price the pharmaceutical companies are asking for because they can strike a very good bargain because they are dealing with a bigger population. We seem to be coming out of the wrong end when we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Funding of Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for the work they do in their individual areas. I know they are extremely committed and dedicated to the projects in which they are involved and helping patients who have these difficult medical conditions. For the record, I will correct a comment from earlier this morning. My figures were correct. My understanding is that of the 148 orphan drugs, 133 have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Funding of Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: The figure I have is 23.6 months.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Funding of Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I have a question on the work being done and contacts at European level. I presume there are equivalent organisations supporting patients with the same medical conditions at a European level so has there been any contact with them about how they feel about joined-up thinking between countries to expedite the process? I go back to the German example. We are talking about being tied with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Funding of Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I would like to ask the professor, in particular, about the reason we have made so little progress in reducing the overall cost of drugs. If we were to reduce the overall cost - I am talking about straightforward medication - we would obviously have a lot more money available for the purchase of orphan drugs. However, we seem to be purchasing a lot more drugs per head of population. Does...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I refer to the proposed legislation relating to the opt-out from organ donation. This matter has been debated time and again during the past five years and it is my understanding the legislation was to be introduced some time ago. I now understand it is going through the Cabinet. Has the Leader received any indication of the likely time when it will be introduced? The legislation is...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: In particular, the leader of the Fianna Fáil group might clarify the matter on the basis that on previous occasions, before the Leader's time, we were asked to come back in the middle of August. Has the Leader received any indication from any Member that we should sit during the month of August to discuss any matter?

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I apologise for being late; I was at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health. I refer to the serious fire at premises in Cork, which was also raised by my colleague, Senator Lombard. It is extremely important that the issue is dealt with. It is a substantial building on a large site. It is owned by a State authority and has been lying idle for 15 years. We now need the Minister to get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Link between Homelessness and Health: Discussion (5 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the deputations for their comprehensive presentations. The reports are comprehensive as well. I want to raise one or two issues. In many cases, there is a housing problem and a health problem. I want to deal with housing briefly. We brought in regulations to try to improve rented accommodation. They were welcome at the time. The purpose of one of the regulations we brought in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Link between Homelessness and Health: Discussion (5 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: Nor do I. I am not saying that but to deal with this particular person, this is what an organisation came up with. It was the cost of carers and providing the care in order that the person would not end up back in a hospital situation. That was the cost just for one person. There are very difficult cases that have to be handled and the question is what is the best management of those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Link between Homelessness and Health: Discussion (5 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: There is one of them in Cork also and it has worked very well.