Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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787. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any plans to add Ozempic and Saxenda to the list of medications available under the drugs payment scheme for weight loss programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25199/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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788. To ask the Minister for Health to examine concerns in correspondence (details supplied) and outline the measures she is taking to address these. [25210/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of Health recently announced that an agreement had been reached with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) in relation to the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) arrangement.

The Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, thusly managing and mitigating medicine shortages is the subject of several workstreams across the Department and wider health service.

Medicine shortages are a feature of modern health systems worldwide which have been exacerbated by recent worldwide events. It is a global health problem, not unique to Ireland, and increases in demand for medications and medicines shortages have been observed in the UK, throughout the EU and across the world in recent months, and there is no evidence that shortages disproportionately impact patients in Ireland compared to other countries.

Ireland has a multi-stakeholder Medicines Shortages Framework in place, operated by our medicines regulator, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health. The framework aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages on patients by coordinating the management of potential or actual shortages as they arise. Stakeholders in this framework include the HPRA, the Department, the HSE, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, wholesalers, patient representative groups and marketing authorisation holders.

The HPRA, along with other health service entities, is actively monitoring the national supply, and the current status is that HRT medicines are generally available. The HPRA has engaged with relevant suppliers to understand the reasons for current reports and to examine opportunities for regulatory flexibilities to assist meeting current demand.

The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website. The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information. The HPRA has been notified of current shortages of the following HRT products:

Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., the company responsible for supplying Estradot, has notified the HPRA of a shortage of Estradot transdermal patches (50 microgram/- 24 hour transdermal patch, 75 microgram/ 24 hour transdermal patch). These shortages are due to a manufacturing delay which is impacting multiple countries. The resupply of the 50 microgram/- 24 hour transdermal patch and the 75 micrograms / 24 hours, transdermal patch is anticipated by the end of the year.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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789. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on her engagements with representatives of pharmacists in relation to the free HRT scheme; if she will consider raising the dispensing fee for each HRT item (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25211/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of Health recently announced that an agreement had been reached with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) in relation to the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) arrangement. The arrangement will include a pharmacy dispensing fee of €5 per HRT item, and a €2,000 once-off grant to each participating community pharmacy to support transition arrangements including ICT system upgrades.

This agreed HRT arrangement includes the provision of HRT products, prescribed for the treatment of symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, without any charge, to women who are resident in the State. This is in circumstances where HRT has been deemed clinically appropriate for a woman and is prescribed by her healthcare provider.

Pharmacies have until the 1st June to sign up and, with the full IPU's support, it is anticipated that the vast majority of pharmacies will sign up. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is developing a “pharmacy finder” which will allow women to find the nearest participating pharmacy to them.