People suffering from any of the following conditions may obtain drugs and medicines without charge for the treatment of that condition under the long-term illness scheme, LTI: mental handicap, mental illness, for people under 16 only, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, parkinsonism and acute leukaemia. No conditions have been added since 1975.
There are no plans to extend the LTI to include colitis and Crohn's disease at this stage. There are a range of other schemes which provide assistance towards the cost of approved drugs and medicines for individuals with significant ongoing medical expenses.