Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
949. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a significant community effort to secure funding for a life-saving treatment for a person (details supplied); if his Department will fund their treatment or fund the remainder of the amount needed to access the treatment their doctor has recommended; the options for funding of the treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21505/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Department is not in a position to comment on individual cases. Decisions on whether or not to prescribe any treatment for a patient is strictly a matter for the treating clinician, in consultation with the patient. The Minister for Health has no role in this clinical decision-making process.
In regard to patients travelling to other countries for treatment, the HSE currently operates two schemes that facilitate patients accessing treatment abroad:
The Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) allows public patients to be referred to another EU/EEA country for treatment that is not available in Ireland, subject to qualifying criteria. A patient's Irish based consultant is responsible for referring the patient abroad under the terms of the TAS.
Also, under the Cross Border Directive (CBD) patients in Ireland can seek to be referred to another EU/EEA country for medical treatment that is available in the public health service in Ireland, again subject to qualifying criteria.
