Written answers
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Department of Health
Health Strategies
Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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682. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the €20 million in medicines savings which his Productivity and Savings Taskforce intends to achieve in 2024; whether it is intended that all of these savings will be reinvested in new medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19014/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I published the Productivity and Savings Taskforce Action Plan on the 15th of April 2024.
This Action Plan sets out an ambitious and realistic programme of savings targets aimed at minimising the level of financial risk the HSE is facing in 2024; and a range of productivity measures that aim to maximise access to health services for patients.
Substantial savings of approximately €424 million in 2024 (€554 million full year saving) are being targeted including medicines expenditure, non-pay costs, procurement costs, the cost of care in long term residential care for older people, and management consultancy costs.
These savings are intended to reduce the extent of the financial risk facing the health sector in 2024. They are balanced, however, with the fundamental need to deliver safe and quality care and services to patients.
The €20m savings on Medicines is part of this and the Medicines Sustainability Taskforce is examining these issues and wider reform to enhance the sustainability of medicines expenditure. The Medicines Taskforce will undertake a systemic review of medicines expenditure, to include for example, the examination of measures to enhance the use of generic and, in particular, biosimilar medicines.
However, notwithstanding the overarching financial risk this year, I have already committed €20m of new funding for new medicines. Further as I announced on the 15th of December 2023, that I will ensure that €10m of savings delivered will be available for reinvestment in new medicines this year ensuring that in addition to the anticipated €3bn plus expenditure this year, €30m of funding will see enhanced access to more patients.
This continues the investment of €98 million allocated for new medicines between 2020 and 2023. 171 new medicines were approved for reimbursement by the HSE, to include 61 medicines for the treatment of cancer, and 47 for the treatment of rare diseases.
To date in 2024, an additional 13 new medicines have been approved by the HSE for reimbursement.
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