Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Health the status on a medication being available on the drugs payment scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52014/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for his question.

I recognise the importance of providing the best care possible to patients with this condition. Women’s Health has been and will be a focus of mine since taking this office. We have made real progress in improving the healthcare available to women in Ireland.

Veoza (Fezolinetant) is a treatment for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS, e.g. hot flashes, night sweats) associated with menopause.

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. Upon reimbursement a medicine is added to the national drug schemes, for example, the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) or the Medical Card.

In terms of Veoza®, a completed health technology assessment (HTA) was received by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) from the company, Astellas Pharma, on the 20th August 2025, 16 months after it was commissioned by the HSE. This was following proactive engagements by the HSE to the company encouraging the submission of a fully completed HTA.

A drug or treatment cannot be added to the reimbursement list in the absence of a completed HTA being received from a company. The HSE endeavours to process pricing and reimbursement applications as efficiently as possible.

The HSE has advised that the application remains under consideration.

Under the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for those who are not eligible for a medical card but incur ongoing expenditure on medicines.