Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, to the Chamber and thank him for being here to issue the Minister's response. The Minister of State will be aware that hormonal replacement therapy, HRT, has seen somewhat of a resurgence and there has been a huge increase in demand in recent years. This is in large part due to a public information campaign run by the Government on the benefits of using hormone replacement therapy when going through menopause or perimenopause but also because of the work of many individuals, organisations and public representatives in highlighting the need for better menopause care for women.

The population of Ireland is 51% women and every single one of us will at some point or other go through perimenopause and menopause. It is a very normal part of the ageing process and just presents a new chapter in life, and it should not be one that presents health difficulties. For some women, it gets to a situation where they cannot go to work, they cannot function and they cannot go about their daily life. These medicinal products are very important. They are not luxury products; they are essential to just going about your daily business, looking after your family, going to work and living your life.

As a result of the increase in demand, these products are quite expensive and they have become more difficult to get. I am aware there are shortages of a lot of medicines in the country, so it is no surprise it is impacting HRT medicines as well. One woman told me that her prescription would normally be a particular volume of medication, with a 100 g tablet, but they are no longer available and she has been told to buy the 200 g tablets and just take them every second day. It does not sound like the type of prescribing I would like to receive from my doctor or pharmacist, but needs must, and that is all that is available for her and these are essential tablets.

A big part of the reason that I wanted to raise the matter this morning is that there is a huge disparity in pricing among pharmacies. To give an example of a very commonly used product, the Oestrogel pump pack is often prescribed with oestrogen tabs.Across three pharmacies, the price ranged from €23.59 to €33.95 and €44.12. One pharmacy is nearly double the price of the other for the same product. Pharmacies are not giving the full six-month prescription. People have to come back month on month, incurring prescription charges, additional hassle and cost that should not be there. Why is there this disparity in pricing? Why are pharmacies charging wildly different prices for the exact same product? Why can a woman not fill her six-month prescription, bring it home and be done with it for six months, rather than having to traipse back into the pharmacy each month?

Women in the Republic are ordering HRT products from the North or further afield and getting them posted to them because it is easier. It should not be easier to order from the North than to pop to the local pharmacy, nor should it be cheaper. They are significant problems women have to deal with. Credit to the Government for the menopause campaign running in recent months and the advertising campaign that has happened. Alongside that, we have dispelled myths that were there for many years suggesting HRT causes cancer and is bad for you and that you need to suffer and go it alone. It could be seven to ten years of going it alone. That is how long a woman can be in need of this type of medication, maybe even longer. For some, it is shorter. It varies woman to woman.

I developed the Fianna Fáil women’s health policy last year in consultation with thousands of women across the country. A policy recommendation in that document is to make HRT products free. I would like the Minister of State to respond to that. We owe it to women at that stage to make these essential medical products free and get rid of issues with access, cost disparity and the hassle involved in accessing these products.