Bernard Allen
Question:224 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to provide nicotine replacement therapy to medical card holders; and the projected cost if approved. [13603/00]
Written Answers. - Nicotine Replacement Therapy.
A common list of reimbursable medicines is in place for the general medical services scheme and the drug payment scheme to ensure equity in relation to the range of medicines paid for by the State under both schemes. In order for a product to be included in the list of reimbursable items, it must satisfy a number of criteria, including that it is ordinarily supplied to the public only on foot of a medical prescription and that the product should not be advertised or promoted to the public. As nicotine replacement therapies belong to a category of products that do not satisfy these criteria, in that they are generally available over the counter, and may be advertised directly to the public, they are not included in the list of items reimbursable under the list.
The Deputy will wish to know, however, that I have asked the advisory forum to the heart health task force to bring forward proposals in regard to nicotine replacement therapy and the less well off sectors of the community. Decisions on the availability of nicotine replacement therapy will be made in the light of the forum's recommendations. I should also add the recently published report of the tobacco free policy review group, Towards a Tobacco Free Society recommended that nicotine replacement therapy be made available to persons participating in smoking cessation programmes. The projected cost of providing nicotine replacement therapy to medical card holders ranges from approximately £604,000 to £1,800,000 depending on the duration of the therapy and the numbers who might avail of it.
I would also point out that Department's health promotion unit conducts national multi-media anti-smoking campaigns to encourage smokers to give up and non-smokers to refrain from taking up the habit. The most recent anti-smoking campaign Break the Habit for Good was launched in December 1998 and this campaign takes a slightly different approach to previous campaigns. It emphasises the positive effects which quitting smoking can have on the individual and offers support in the form of an "advice kit" which in turn offers the support of the Irish Cancer Society's helpline. The campaign continues, by a series of national and local initiatives, to offer help and support for those people wishing to give up smoking.