Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the reason asthma sufferers' access to medication is subject to significant geographical variation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7481/13]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the reason there continues to be geographical inequity of access to Omalizumab, Xolair, medication, with asthma sufferers in the Health Service Executive south region particularly disadvantaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7482/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 76 together.

Xolair (Omalizumab) is indicated as additional therapy for the prophylaxis of severe persistent allergic asthma in patients who cannot be controlled with the standard treatments.

This medicine is being prescribed nationally. This is administered in a hospital setting by a health care professional, namely a nurse, under the care of a consultant.

In relation to Cork University Hospital (CUH) I have been advised by the HSE that there is a Drugs and Therapeutics Committee in CUH whose primary objective is to assist the Executive Management Board(EMB) and hospital management in:

(i) The formulation of policies for safe and cost effective prescribing.

(ii) Supporting the process of managing the hospital’s drugs budget.

This committee has not recommended the use of these drugs to the EMB at CUH. Following the recent submission of a business case for the use of these medicines, it is being proposed that the newly appointed Clinical Director for Medicine, would meet with the consultants involved to further discuss their business case with a view to bringing a recommendation on this matter to the Acute Hospital Manager Group if required. For additional information please see below link for the Asthma Programme which may be of some assistance.