Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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540. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify the cost of cariban; the reason only consultant prescriptions for cariban are reimbursable; if reimbursement can also be given if prescribed by someone’s GP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6490/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Budget 2023, funding of €32.2 million was announced for Women’s Health Initiatives in 2023. This included dedicated funding for Cariban® (doxylamine/pyridoxine) to help women who experience hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of nausea and vomiting, during pregnancy.

The Health Service Executive (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.

Only licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) can be added to the formal reimbursement list.

Cariban® is an Exempt Medicinal Product, i.e., it is not licensed in Ireland and, therefore, cannot be added to the HSE's formal reimbursement list. Therefore, there is currently no formal pricing agreement in place for Cariban®.

However, following the recommendations of the HSE Medicines Management Programme, and to address the unmet need of patients with hyperemesis gravidarum, Cariban® has now been made available on an individual patient basis for those patients who meet the criteria and where Consultant Obstetrician initiated.

The relevant HSE circular regarding the exceptional arrangement for Cariban® is available at: www.hse.ie/eng/staff/pcrs/circulars/pharmacy/pharmacy-circular-001-23-cariban.pdf.

The HSE circular sets a reimbursement price for a pack of 24 Cariban 10mg/10mg modified release hard capsules at €34.90.

Under the community drug schemes, Exempt Medicinal Products must be Consultant initiated.

However, whilst the original prescriber of Cariban® must be a Consultant and specialist in the relevant field, the HSE will accept a GP prescription subsequent to the initial hospital prescription for approved patients.

Finally, reimbursement support is offered on the basis of the patient’s eligibility under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS).

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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541. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the DPS to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6491/23]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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561. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date. [6531/23]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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564. To ask the Minister for Health the number of prescriptions for a drug (details supplied) that have been processed through the DPS to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6536/23]

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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577. To ask the Minister for Health the number of prescriptions for the drug cariban that have been processed through the drug payment scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6557/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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592. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the number of prescriptions for cariban which have been processed by the HSE through the general medical services and drugs payment schemes to date. [6588/23]

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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607. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drug payment scheme to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6633/23]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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612. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6641/23]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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630. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions processed through DPS to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6688/23]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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634. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme since it was made available under the community drug schemes. [6693/23]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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655. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date and by month, in tabular form. [6767/23]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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668. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of prescriptions of a drug (details supplied) through the drugs payment scheme to date.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6812/23]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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672. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed since 1 January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6816/23]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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740. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the DPS to date in tabular form. [7079/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drug payment scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7103/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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793. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7210/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 541, 561, 564, 577, 592, 607, 612, 630, 634, 655, 668, 672, 740, 751 and 793 together.

Since 1st January 2023, reimbursement support for Cariban® (doxylamine/pyridoxine) has been available under an exceptional arrangement on an individual patient basis where consultant initiated.

As of 10th February 2023, the number of applications received by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) stands at 384.