Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank the Senators for raising this important matter today. Progressing women's health is a priority for this Government. A strong commitment to promoting women's health was made in the programme for Government. We are fully committed to the development and improvement of women's health services and to working with women and girls to improve their health across the whole lifecycle. The funding of €32.2 million for the women's health budget in 2023 will help continue making progress in the area for the coming year. This includes the dedicated funding for Cariban. The Minister for Health is pleased that this treatment is now available to those women who need it, and hopes it will make a meaningful difference to their well-being.

The Minister understands the frustration that exists around the fact that the medicine is only accessible via a consultant prescription in the first instance. This is because Cariban is an unlicensed exempt medicinal product, and therefore the expertise of a specialist in the field is necessary to ensure safe usage. The HSE's managed access protocols for Cariban lay out appropriate clinical protocols that must be followed to ensure safe usage. I will relay and reflect the concerns of both Senators to all of the Ministers in the Department of Health.