Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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728. To ask the Minister for Health the number of suppliers of the contraceptive pill that have not yet signed up for the HSE’s contraceptive reimbursement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4657/23]

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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729. To ask the Minister for Health if a scheme can be put in place to enable women whose contraceptive pill suppliers have not signed up to the HSE reimbursement scheme to apply for reimbursement on an individual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4658/23]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 728 and 729 together.

The free contraception scheme for women was launched in September 2022, initially for women aged 17-25 who are ordinarily resident in Ireland. The scheme has now been expanded to include 26-year-olds since January 1^st, 2023, and will be expanded further, in September, to include women aged 30 and under.

Funding through Budget 2023 was also provided to expand the scheme to 16 year-olds, but this is subject to consultation across Government, legal advice and legislative amendment. Approximately €32m has been assigned to support free contraception in 2023.

The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs and family planning centres, prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the Re-Imbursement List, long-acting reversible contraceptive fittings, removals, injections and check-ups, emergency contraception and more. Over 2,200 GPs and 1,850 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date, with further applications pending.

Section 67E of the Health Act 1970 provides that “relevant products” include those (a) standing approved by the Heath Service Executive, or (b) on the Reimbursement List within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Act of 2013.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.

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 Minister for Health has no role in these decisions. The HSE considers the NCPE assessment, the outputs from commercial engagements, patient interest group submissions, and any other pertinent information in advance of making a reimbursement decision.

In terms of supporting patients, it is also important to note that, in the event of prescription of a product not currently on the Re-Imbursement List, the other significant costs of contraception are still fully covered (consultations, fittings, removals, injections and checks carried out by medical professionals). In terms of which contraceptive products are currently not included on the Re-Imbursement List, this is a service matter and I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.