Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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678. To ask the Minister for Health if versatis patches will be reinstated for medical card or long-term Illness patients with multiple sclerosis as it is only available on schemes if the patient had shingles. [14940/23]

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. I, as the Minister for Health, have no role in these decisions.

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)

The HSE further advise that 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.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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679. To ask the Minister for Health if efforts have made since 2017 to procure versatis at a better rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14941/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.