Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Minister for Health if Medtronic's i-port advance injection device will be added on the long-term illness card; the advancement of the assessment process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21070/15]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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142. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to make Medtronic’s i-port advance injection device available on the long-term illness scheme for children with diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21228/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 142 together.

The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.

The decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. They are not political or ministerial decisions.

The HSE received an application for the inclusion of the product, i-port Advance™, to be added to the List of Reimbursable Items in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association for the assessment of new medicines.

An Expert Group, chaired by the Clinical Lead of the HSE Diabetes Programme, was convened by the HSE to (i) assess the clinical evidence to support the use of the product, (ii) consider whether the product is appropriate for reimbursement status under Schemes and (iii) assist in the determination of the ‘value’ that the innovation presents. The Expert Group did not find that the product was either clinically effective or cost effective, and therefore did not recommend that the product should be reimbursed. The Director of Primary Care accepted the recommendation of the Expert Group and the company was informed of the HSE's decision on the 20th April 2015.