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Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004

Thursday, 2 December 2004

Questions (104)

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

83 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed regarding the lack of breast cancer genetic services; the steps she intends to take in regard to such genetic services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31575/04]

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Written answers

The National Centre for Medical Genetics, NCMG, is based at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. Since 2002, a cumulative sum of €2.24 million has been allocated to the NCMG, of which €1.84 million was from national cancer strategy funding, including an allocation of €300,000 for the post of consultant clinical geneticist. This investment is supporting the development of breast cancer genetics services nationally.

In 1998, the NCMG was funded by the Health Research Board to carry out a collaborative study on the implementation of testing for hereditary breast cancer in Ireland. As a result of this study, the technology and expertise for screening for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is now available as is the expertise to assess and counsel families with hereditary breast cancer.

A subgroup of the national cancer forum on genetics is currently examining the specific areas of inherited familial pre-disposition to cancer, cancer risk profiling of persons without inherited mutations, and molecular diagnostics and molecular therapeutics. The work of this subgroup will inform the development of the new cancer strategy, which is due to be completed shortly.

Question No. 84 answered with QuestionNo. 25.
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