Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends to draw up new guidelines for the use of adrenaline pens to provide new training and retraining for the treatment of allergies for general practitioners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4171/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The common list of reimbursable medicines for the general medical services and drug payment schemes ensures equity between the schemes in respect of the range of medicines paid for by the State. The list is reviewed and amended each month, as new products become available and deletions are notified. An item must comply with a published list of criteria if it is to be included on the common list. The criteria include authorisation status where appropriate, price and in certain cases the intended use of the product. The product should ordinarily be supplied to the public by medical prescription only. It should not be advertised or promoted to the public.

The Deputy will be pleased to know that drugs for the treatment of allergic emergencies are included in the common list. Reimbursable adrenaline pens are approved for use by patients in the community outside clinical supervision. I do not plan to draw up new guidelines for the use of adrenaline pens to provide new training and retraining for the treatment of allergies for general practitioners. If the Deputy is aware of a particular problem with the use of adrenaline pens, he should contact the Health Service Executive immediately.