Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2016
400. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if there is a new treatment available for persons, most of whom are women, who were victims of the hepatitis C infection in the early 1980s; if so, the cost of such treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33774/16]
View answerNew innovative direct acting anti-viral medicines for the treatment of Hepatitis C have been developed which are significantly altering the prognosis for people infected with Hepatitis C.
A National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme was established by the HSE in 2015 to oversee the roll-out of a multi-annual treatment programme. The Treatment Programme was allocated funding of €30m in 2015 and 2016.
Establishing a Treatment Programme was a key recommendation of the report A Public Health Plan for the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Hepatitis C, which was produced by an Expert Advisory Group established by the Department of Health in 2014. That Report also recommended that access to these new medicines should be based on internationally accepted clinical prioritisation criteria. The Treatment Programme is responsible for implementing the clinical prioritisation criteria and any further extensions as the Programme is rolled-out.
At the time of establishment of the Programme, the Government provided a commitment that, at the very latest, by the end of 2017, all persons who contracted Hepatitis C through the administration of blood and blood products in the State will have access to these new medicines, if prescribed for them by their treating Clinician. This process is currently being managed through the Treatment Programme. Data from the HSE shows that as of September this year a total of 358 Health Amendment Act cardholder patients have been approved for treatment and the HSE have indicated that all cardholder patients will be offered treatment by the end of next year.
Further details on the Treatment Programme can be found at: www.hse.ie/eng/about/Who/primarycare/hepcprogramme%20.html.
