Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce alternative treatments for opioid dependency such as Buprenorphine; when these treatments will become available; the way patients will be able to access these treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16011/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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An Expert Group, set up by my Department in 2006, examined the regulatory framework required to facilitate the prescribing, dispensing and supply of buprenorphine/naloxone and buprenorphine-only products as alternatives to methadone. In 2011, this Group concluded that methadone is the drug of first choice in the treatment of opioid dependency, but that buprenorphine/naloxone may be more appropriate for particular cohorts of clients. The HSE has established an Opioid Substitution Implementation Group to develop a plan for facilitating the wider availability of buprenorphine/naloxone and buprenorphine-only products as alternatives to methadone. The Group is expected to report to me shortly.