Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

757. To ask the Minister for Health the total budget allocated for spending on medicines by the HSE in each of the past five years; the outturn expenditure on medicines in each of those years; the projected allocation for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56629/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

758. To ask the Minister for Health the HSE expenditure on medicines for each of the past five years, by category (including high-tech medicines, biologics, biosimilars, generics and community drug schemes); the projected spend for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56630/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

759. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to revise the national uptake targets for each medicine in the best value medicines programme; if so, the targets and the date she expects them to be met; the reasons for the targets not being met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56631/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

762. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of clinicians that continue to prescribe higher-cost originator medicines contrary to the HSE's best value medicines guidance; the measures which will be introduced to ensure adherence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56634/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

763. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing sanctions for hospital groups that fail to meet best value medicines uptake requirements, or alternatively strengthening gain-share incentives to ensure the savings target is delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56635/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

765. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which the best value medicines programme contributes to reducing the financial burden on the HSE's medicines budget and assists in securing access for patients to new and innovative treatments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56637/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

766. To ask the Minister for Health if she will report on the progress of the best value medicines programme in achieving its stated target of at least 80% of individuals being in receipt of the best value medicine; if she will provide a breakdown of uptake levels by each target area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56638/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 759, 762, 763, 765 and 766 together.

A record of over €3 billion, around €1 in every 8 of public funding spent on health, is now being spent on medicines. This is an unprecedented level of investment in supporting patients through the availability of the latest and wide range of medicines.

Sustainability remains a core priority for the Government. It is crucial, given high levels of expenditure growth across the health sector in recent years and the new challenging economic conditions, that medicines expenditure does not come at a cost to other health areas.

The State has made €158 million available for new drugs between 2021 and 2025. In 2025, the €30m made available for new drugs funding is to be generated through efficiencies to be identified by the joint DOH-HSE Medicines Sustainability Taskforce.

To date, this has allowed the HSE to approve 238 new drugs and new uses for existing medicines, including 97 medicines for treating cancer and 64 orphan drugs to treat rare diseases.

In August 2024, the HSE Senior Leadership Team approved the Overview of Medicines Funding Governance Processes. This document clearly articulates the governance processes for the funding of medicines in the HSE. It clarifies that the authority to approve the expenditure of funds on new medicines or new uses of existing medicines across the HSE is reserved solely to the HSE National Senior Leadership Team.

The Medicines Sustainability Taskforce is co-chaired by the Department of Health and the HSE. Membership includes representatives of the Department of Health, the HSE's Medicines Management Programme, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service, the HSE's Acute Hospitals Division, HSE Finance, and clinical experts. Under the direction of the Productivity and Savings Taskforce, it supports the HSE’s examination of medicines expenditure in the health service and to identify measures to maximise value from the resources within the medicines budget. The focus is on generating savings where possible and ensuring that the funding available provides the greatest level of access to medicines for as many patients as possible.

In line with the Productivity and Savings Taskforce targets, the Medicines Sustainability Taskforce aimed to achieve a minimum of €20m in savings in 2024 and this was exceeded by over €30 million.

Regular updates from the Medicines Sustainability Taskforce are published on the Department of Health website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/medicines-sustainability-taskforce/.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

760. To ask the Minister for Health the uptake rates for each best value medicine by hospital group or clinical site; to identify those that are underperforming against the targets set by the HSE to save money for the HSE; the specific actions she will take to bring prescribing into line with HSE policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56632/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

761. To ask the Minister for Health the total additional cost to the HSE resulting from sub-optimal uptake of best value medicines since the programme was introduced; and the impact this has had on access to new medicines for patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56633/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

764. To ask the Minister for Health the communication and support provided to patients being switched to best value medicines; the monitoring which has been undertaken on patient outcomes and acceptance of switching; and if she will publish the data annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56636/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As this is a service matter and 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.