Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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275. To ask the Minister for Health if ozempic will be made available to medical card patients who have had gastric by-pass/sleeve surgery and who are regaining weight due to lack of consultation since Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21016/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the Community Drug Schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list. In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact.

Ozempic® (Semaglutide) was approved by the HSE in 2018 for addition to the reimbursement list for the treatment of diabetes. Ozempic® (Semaglutide) has not been approved for reimbursement for any other indication. Reimbursement support for Ozempic® (Semaglutide) for the treatment of diabetes only is available to those with eligibility under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme or the Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme.