Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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1933. To ask the Minister for Health if there are issues regarding the supply of a medication (details supplied) from manufacturers here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59299/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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My Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, thusly mitigating medicine shortages and strengthening security of supply is the subject of several workstreams in my Department, the wider health service and across Europe.

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.

In European law, pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers should ensure an appropriate and continuous supply of the medicines they market. Companies should notify the HPRA of medicines shortages or potential shortages impacting the Irish market. The HPRA maintains a list of current shortages on its website and is in regular contact with suppliers in relation to these shortages, with a view to minimising their duration and impact on patients. The webpage of the HPRA is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information related to ongoing and newly notified shortages. Shortages, when published, remain active until supply returns to an acceptable level to meet demand, irrespective of whether there is a suitable alternative supply available that is meeting that demand.

There are several medicines authorised for use in Ireland that contain venlafaxine as the active ingredient.

The HPRA has been notified of current shortages of the following presentations that contain venlafaxine:

• Aurobindo Pharma (Malta) Limited., the company responsible for supplying Vedixal XL 150mg Prolonged release hard capsules, has notified the HPRA of a shortage of Vedixal XL 150mg Prolonged release hard capsules due to a manufacturing delay impacting multiple markets. The company currently estimates that resupply will occur at the end of December 2025.

• Viatris Limited, the company responsible for supplying Venlofex 150 mg prolonged-release hard capsules, has notified the HPRA of a shortage of Venlofex 150 mg prolonged-release hard capsules due to a manufacturing delay that is impacting Ireland only. The company currently estimates that resupply will occur at the end of March 2026.

On 31 October 2025, Viatris Limited confirmed to the HPRA that the company has no current supply concerns for Efexor (Venlafaxine) 150mg prolonged release hard capsules.

In the event that patients are unable to source a medicinal product due to supply constraints, they are advised to discuss possible alternatives with their healthcare professional pending the resumption of normal supply.