Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1266. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reinstate versatis patches on the drugs payment scheme; and if he is reviewing the decision to withdraw them from the scheme. [12688/23]

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

The HSE advise that the following pain relief patches are currently available on the reimbursement list:

- Durogesic DTrans Transdermal patches

- Fental Matrix Transdermal patches

- Matrifen Transdermal patches

- Fentadur Transdermal patches

- Butrans Transdermal patches

- Versatis plasters (subject to a managed access system, indicated for post-herpetic neuralgia)

Patients prescribed Versatis plasters are reviewed by the Medicines Management Programme (MMP) for reimbursement approval, on foot of an application by the patient’s clinician, through the HSE online system.

In exceptional circumstances, Versatis plasters may be approved for supply for unlicensed uses. If an application is refused, the clinician may make an appeal to the MMP by email, making a clear clinical case for the patient.

This process ensures that post-shingles patients, and other patients as clinically appropriate, can continue to have this specific treatment.