Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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576. To ask the Minister for Health the date or timeline his Department will publish the report by an organisation (details supplied) on the HSE drug reimbursement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49578/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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577. To ask the Minister for Health the key recommendations of a review (details supplied) of the HSE drug reimbursement process as they relate to orphan medicinal products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49580/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 576 and 577 together.

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, 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 suspended to reallocate resources to support essential services.

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