Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1644. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify following the roll-out of the pilot medical cannabis access programme the number of patients who have gained access to medical cannabis through the programme; the number who have been reimbursed; the number who have been prescribed Epidyolex; the number who have gained access to medical cannabis during the same period via the ministerial licence route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37885/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are a total of 49 patients on the MCAP register who have been issued with a Cannabis for Medical Use Registration (CMUR) number. To date, 37 patients have accessed product under this programme based on community pharmacy reported claims data to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS).

Separately, Epidyolex® (cannabidiol) which is a licensed product in Ireland was added to the Reimbursement List on 1^stJanuary 2022 following formal pricing and reimbursement assessment under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Epidyolex® is restricted to approved prescribers under the High Tech Arrangements through the online Hub infrastructure. Since 1^stJanuary 2022, there have been 256 patients prescribed Epidyolex under the High Tech Arrangements.

Since the commencement of the MCAP in November 2021, under the Ministerial Licence programme licences have issued to clinicians for the treatment of 43 separate patients.