Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Health his and the HSE's plans to revisit the issue of reimbursement of Sativex in view of the recent Health Products Regulatory Authority's report on medicinal cannabis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12268/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the reimbursement of approved products in Ireland and suppliers of such products must apply to the HSE for reimbursement approval.

In 2014, the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 were amended to allow for certain cannabis-based medicinal products to be used in Ireland. The Health Products Regulatory Authority subsequently granted a marketing authorisation for the cannabis-based medicinal product Sativex to be marketed in this State.

I am advised that, following receipt of an application from the supplier for the inclusion of Sativex on the High Tech Scheme, a health technology assessment report on Sativex by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics did not recommend reimbursement at the submitted price. The HSE issued the manufacturers with notice of its intention not to reimburse. It is open to the supplier to make a new application for this product, in the context of the previous findings.