Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

259. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost to make HRT free for all and to ensure supply. [25162/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the General Medical Services and community drug schemes, and also for the administration of those schemes.

The HSE advise that while Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is used as a treatment for women’s health issues/menopause, there are also a wide range of other HRTs in place across multiple clinical areas, including the replacement of cortisone in Addison’s disease, and the replacement of thyroxine in thyroid disease, etc.

In addition, menopause can present differently for individual women, both in symptom severity and duration. Not all women experiencing menopause may be clinically eligible for HRT, which is prescription based. Women may also choose not to take HRT and to address their symptoms through alternative therapies and/or lifestyle changes.

In 2021, the provision of HRT under the the statutory schemes cost €5.4m. This cost was broken down between €3.9m under the General Medical Services (medical card) scheme and €1.5m under the Drug Payment Scheme.

The HSE do not have access to data on the expenditure of patients receiving products privately in community pharmacies or whose expenditure for medicines falls below the threshold of the Drug Payment Scheme. This prevents the HSE from giving a robust estimation of the costs of providing HRT free to all who may need it. However, the HSE have estimated that the cost to the state would likely be €8.2m per annum, at a minimum. This estimation does not take account of any associated loss of prescription charge income or any demographic changes that could impact on uptake.

The Government is aware of the supply issues that have arisen in the provision of HRT and is doing all it can to address these. When supply issues arise for individual medicines, different options, including alternative brands or generic medicines, should be made available to ensure continuity of treatment. Pharmacies should also ensure the equitable supply of medicines to their customers, within their available stock. If a patient has concerns, they should discuss their treatment and alternative options with their doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.