Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am raising the issue of Xolair - I hope I have pronounced it right - which is a drug for people with severe asthma. I am raising it as severe asthma is associated with a significant morbidity and health care resource. Some 10% of patients with asthma have severe asthma and these patients have a disproportionate economic burden. The main cost drivers are the frequency and expense of treatment failure, including asthma exacerbation, associated with unscheduled hospitalisations. Annual health care costs are higher for patients with poor asthma control. A study carried out by Professor Costello found that if this drug were to be made available there would be a 67% reduction in hospitalisations, a 68% reduction in bed days, a 61% reduction in asthma exacerbations, a 62% reduction in courses of oral drugs and a 90% reduction in workdays lost.

This drug has a proven track record yet it is not available under the drugs repayment scheme. Approximately 310 patients currently receive the drug but they are receiving it because it is being funded by hospitals from their own budgets, which will not continue forever. The matter needs to be clarified. Submissions were made in 2014 but, unfortunately, they were rejected. The issue needs to be given priority at this stage.