Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the recent assertion that Irish persons have the worst access to newly launched medicines. [40941/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Medicines play a vital role in improving the overall health of Irish patients. Securing affordable access to existing and new medicines in a timely manner is a key objective of the Irish Health Service. However, the challenge is delivering on this objective in an affordable and sustainable way in line with the resources allocated by the Dáil and the relevant legislative provisions. Expenditure on medicines represents one of the largest areas of expenditure across the health service and will continue to grow in the years ahead as our health service continues to meet the needs of our citizens.

Under the community pharmacy schemes over 70 million prescription items will be dispensed in 2017 at an estimated cost of approximately €1.7 billion - taking account of fees and ingredient cost. In addition, the HSE will spend in excess of €0.5 billion on medicines in our hospitals, nursing homes and other settings. Expenditure on the high tech scheme, the scheme through which the majority of new medicines are funded, has increased by over 80% since 2012, and will continue to increase significantly in 2018 as demand for existing treatments grows and new drugs are approved by the HSE. Since 1 August 2016, the HSE advise that 36 new treatments have been made available to Irish patients.

The Department and the HSE are engaging in a number of initiatives which have lead and will continue to lead to better access to medicines for patients, value for the taxpayer and the cost- effective provision of medicines in Ireland. Key initiatives include reference and generic substitution, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the four year Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines with IPHA, the Medicines Management Programme and National Drugs Management Programme within the HSE, and the development of a National Biosimilar Medicines Policy. Ireland is also participating in a number of voluntary EU forums to explore possible areas for collaboration including price negotiations and joint procurement.

However, access to medicines is not solely a funding issue. A significant barrier to accessing new medicines is the price being sought by some manufacturers for their products. The solution to increased access is multi-facetted and is not simply a matter of allocating more funding for medicines at the expense of other health or public services. The health service must continue to seek better value and lower costs for both existing and new treatments.

The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. This Act gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decision on the reimbursement of medicines, taking account of expert opinion as appropriate. There is also an increased level of engagement and commercial negotiations between the HSE and manufacturers in an effort to reduce the price to affordable levels. So while this process is resource intensive, it is clear that as a result of such a robust and scientific process, Ireland is paying significantly less for medicines and the ability to invest is enhanced.