Written answers

Thursday, 16 July 2020

Department of Health

Medicinal Products

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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176. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in getting access to Spinraza treatment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16387/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a plan to allow people with a diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis to access a known treatment for this blood disease (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16394/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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. The Act specifies the criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines.

In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list.

Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).

The NCPE conducts health technology assessments (HTAs) for the HSE and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions. The NCPE uses a decision framework to systematically assess whether a drug is cost-effective as a health intervention.

I am advised by the HSE that it has received an application for the reimbursement of patisiran (Onpattro®) for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR amyloidosis) in adult patients with stage 1 or stage 2 polyneuropathy.

In January 2019, a full health technology assessment was commissioned by the HSE. This assessment was completed in February 2020 with the NCPE recommending that patisiran (Onpattro®) is not considered for reimbursement unless cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments.

The HTA report will be an important input into the decision making processes of the HSE. The HSE is currently reviewing the report received and has recently met with the applicant company to discuss this.

Once negotiations between the HSE and the applicant company are complete, this application must then be formally considered by the HSE Drugs Group. The HSE Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Executive Management Team.

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