Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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641. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the governance review of the drugs approval and procurement process which was included in the Sláintecare Action Plan 2019; his plans to publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16701/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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755. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the review of the HSE reimbursement and pricing decision-making process carried out by a company (details supplied); the findings and recommendations of the review; if the review will be made publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17341/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 755 together.

In 2019, following a tender by the Office of Government Procurement, Mazars conducted a review of the governance structures around the HSE's drug reimbursement process. The report was submitted to my Department in January 2020.

The review made recommendations in respect of the HSE’s systems, structures, processes, governance arrangements and use of specialist resources in respect of the drug reimbursement process.

The report was under consideration by officials earlier this year, however the focus of the Department of Health changed to the immediate public health considerations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the preservation of life. This meant that this work stream was temporarily suspended to reallocate resources to support essential services.

My Department aims to complete its consideration of the report’s recommendations in the near future.