Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. I fully understand the position of the HSE and the Department on this issue and accept that pricing is important in the context of drugs being accepted for inclusion in the community drug schemes. In this case the drug has already received approval in a number of other European countries and evidence to support its effectiveness is available, although I am open to correction on this. The patient to whom I referred is responding well to the drug and experiencing obvious beneficial effects, particularly a reduction in fatigue. She contacted me because the drug was proving so successful. She will probably continue to use it, but because it has not received HSE and departmental approval, she will have to fund the treatment herself.