Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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781. To ask the Minister for Health if the drug nadolol, which is used to treat Long QT syndrome, has been removed from the drugs payment scheme; and if so, if it will be re-instated with immediate effect. [21926/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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There are currently no products authorised in Ireland containing Nadolol, nor are there any applications pending with the Health Products Regulatory Authority for such products.

Nadolol was previously authorised under the brand name Corgard, however, these authorisations were withdrawn by the marketing authorisation holder Sanofi in 2000. The product is however still authorised in some European countries. The Health Products Regulatory Authority has received notification from wholesalers that products containing Nadolol have been imported into Ireland under the notification scheme for exempt medicinal products.

The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 sets out the rules and criteria around reimbursement of medicinal products. Under the Act the HSE can only add items to the reimbursement list which have a marketing authorisation.

In exceptional circumstances the Act authorises the HSE to fund reimbursement of items not on the reimbursable list for individual patients provided the patient requires that item for clinical reasons and that there is no listed item which is a suitable alternative for that item in so far as the patient is concerned.

The HSE has confirmed that it has funded Nadolol for individuals when applications are made which provide evidence which allow the HSE to utilise the exceptional criteria provided under the 2013 Act.