Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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559. To ask the Minister for Health if the drug Pradaxa is covered under the GMS scheme; if not, the options available to patients who use this drug to alleviate the financial costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15974/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Pradaxa is available under the GMS Scheme, the Drug Payment Scheme and other community drugs schemes for the prevention of blood clots in adult patients who have undergone elective hip replacement surgery or elective knee replacement surgery.

Pradaxa has also been approved for the extended indication of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation as a second line therapy in circumstances where warfarin may not be appropriate. When a patient requires access to this product, an application form for reimbursement approval must be completed by the physician responsible for the patient's anticoagulation and forwarded to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service for prior approval.