Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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730. To ask the Minister for Health the current policy on the provision of Epipens in urban centres and cities; and his plans to change this policy in the near future. [37726/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There are currently three adrenaline auto-injectors authorised and marketed in Ireland. Brands include Anapen®, Epipen® and Jext®.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority has recently granted a Marketing Authorisation (MA) for a fourth adrenaline auto-injector, Emerade®. This has a 3 year shelf life. It is expected that supplies of Emerade® will arrive onto the Irish market in the coming days. This will increase prescription choice and availability of medicines.

Adrenaline auto-injector pens are normally ordered by pharmacies from wholesalers and dispensed to patients on foot of a prescription.

On Thursday 15th October 2015, I signed new regulations which will allow certain prescription-only medicines, including adrenaline auto-injectors, to be administered by trained members of the public and by Pharmacists in emergency situations.

Organisations such as colleges, schools, restaurants and sports clubs will be allowed to hold adrenaline auto-injectors and to arrange for staff to be trained in their use in the event of an emergency. Under the new arrangements it is a condition of administration of the medication concerned by lay persons that such persons must have undergone appropriate training in this regard.

The arrangements which the new regulations permit are voluntary. Organisations are not obliged to participate unless they wish to do so.