Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Health when a national biosimilar medicines policy will be produced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44284/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department and the HSE are engaging in a number of initiatives which will endeavour to lead to better access to medicines for patients, value for the taxpayer and the cost-effective provision of medicines in Ireland. To address some of these issues, the Government is developing a National Biosimilar Medicines Policy to promote the rational use of biosimilar medicines and to create a sustainable environment for biological medicines in Ireland.

A public consultation on a National Biosimilar Medicines Policy was undertaken by the Department of Health in Q4 2017. The responses to the consultation and other possible policy levers are being considered by the Department along with plans for the involvement of stakeholders across the health service.

At an operational level, the Acute Hospitals Drugs Management Programme has a biosimilar strategy in place since 2017 which is using a collaborative approach led by hospital pharmacists with clinical teams to bring about changes in prescribing practice.