Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2010
371 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the availability of a treatment (details supplied) under the drugs payment scheme; if there are limitations on the number of treatments a person will receive under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48594/09]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) transferred a defined list of fertility medicines including Puregon to the High Tech Scheme from the Drug Payment Scheme in March 2009. This was put in place to improve governance arrangements for monitoring usage and prescribing patterns as patients must be authorised in advance by the HSE under the High Tech Scheme.
The HSE advised prescribers in registered fertility clinics that it considered three full cycles of IVF an appropriate benchmark for funding. Some registered clinics already operate such a benchmark to avoid over-stimulation of the ovaries, which can have serious consequences for the patient in question. The HSE advises that no patient has been refused authorisation under any limitations to the number of cycles for treatment under the High Tech Scheme to date.
