Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 207: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on including smoking patches in the drugs covered under the drugs payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13266/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A common list of reimbursable medicines is in place for the general medical services and drug payment schemes to ensure equity in respect of the range of medicines paid for by the State under both schemes. For a product to be reimbursable under the two schemes, it must satisfy a number of criteria, including that it is ordinarily supplied to the public only by medical prescription and that it should not be advertised or promoted to the public. Nicotine replacement therapies belong to a category of products that would not normally satisfy these criteria in that they are generally available over-the-counter, and may be advertised directly to the public.

Nicotine replacement therapies are available to medical card holders on foot of recommendations made by the cardiovascular health strategy group and the advisory forum established to support the task force in the implementation of strategy. Evidence shows that lower socioeconomic groups have a higher incidence of smoking and spend a higher proportion of disposable income on tobacco and that, in general, their health is worse. Therefore, it was considered that members of this group are in greatest need of assistance in helping them to quit the habit. Accordingly, and in light of the recommendations that were made, it was decided, as an exceptional measure to make the full range of nicotine replacement therapies available on prescription to medical card holders. There are no plans to extend this to the drug payment scheme.