John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will clarify why all the literature refers to a calendar month with regard to the national policy for the monthly drug refund scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are up to 100 examples where this would not be the case, including for example an adrenaline pen for life threatening allergic reactions: if this national policy differs from the Health Service Executive north-west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21862/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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It is a condition of the drugs payment scheme, DPS, that no individual or family will pay more than the relevant monthly threshold of €85 in a calendar month. The primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, administers the payments process for the DPS. According to the PCRS, the payment of a second co-payment in one month, in one pharmacy, should only arise when a person is intentionally getting the next month's supply on the grounds that he or she will be away the following month or for another such reason. The only exception to this rule is where the packaging of a particular medicine or appliance is such that a client requires 13 dispensings in a 12 month period, as with 28 day packs for example. In this situation, to ensure that an individual or family makes no more than 12 payments in a year it is recommended that, where appropriate, once in a 12 month period or periodically throughout the year, more than a 28 day supply may be given. The packaging of the medicine or appliance will influence how this can be achieved.

It is accepted that an adrenaline pen is not a medication where a month's supply can be defined. In the initial set-up period for the patient, more than one pen would be required. Periodic replacement will be required, depending on use or expiry dates. This particular situation is accommodated under the DPS.