asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of people in the State suffering from (a) chronic arthritis, (b) chronic asthma and (c) chronic bronchitis; and the estimated cost to the State if free medicine were to be provided for these patients.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Free Medicine Costs.
6.
The information requested by the Deputy as to the numbers of persons suffering from these is not available in my Department and a major morbidity survey would have to be undertaken to obtain it. In any event, because of the nature of these illnesses, the lack of uniformity in defining them and their varying degrees of severity, the results which one could expect to derive from such a survey would be of very dubious value. In the absence of this information it would not be possible to produce estimates of cost on the lines requested.
As the Deputy will be aware, persons with full eligibility obtain all their medical requirements free of charge. In addition persons with limited eligibility can be assisted by health boards where their expenditure on medicines is such as to occasion hardship.
Would the Minister give any thought to including these three diseases, which are very common diseases here because of climatic and other factors, in the list of diseases for free medicine?
No. I have already replied to that. It is not my intention to include these.
In view of the fact that the Minister has no figures available, and because there are so many different degrees of these particular diseases, would he not agree that he should include these three chronic diseases, diseases which are possibly the most common in our society?
Could I ask the Minister if he would consider having research work undertaken by the Medical Research Board? The board are compiling a register of conditions and could these be included?
That is not my intention. In reply to Deputy Byrne, the new system of grants for drugs to the limited eligibility group should go a long way towards supplying drugs to those suffering from these diseases. The Deputy has no doubt seen the regulations published about these grants.