Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to facilitate patients who are prescribed vitamin B12 injections for pernicious anaemia and who can no longer find the product; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10247/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The vitamin B12 products concerned, Cytamen/Neo-cytamen, were removed from the common list of reimbursable drugs and medicines when the manufacturer advised my Department that, because of problems in the manufacturing process, they had become temporarily unavailable both in Ireland and the UK. The manufacturer has informed my Department that the problems with one of the products, Cytamen, have now been resolved and it will now be restored to the common list. Neo-cytamen is still unavailable.

An alternative product, Cobalin H, is available in community pharmacies for people who have been prescribed the original product. Cobalin H is reimbursable under the drug payment scheme. It is a matter for the relevant area of the Health Service Executive to make arrangements for its reimbursement when prescribed for and dispensed to medical cardholders.