Thomas Gould
Question:753. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the approval of reimbursement of CAR-T. [11516/22]
View answerTuesday, 1 March 2022
Questions (753)
Written answers
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells or CAR-T therapy is a novel cellular approach that uses genetic engineering to alter a patient’s own T-cells to produce unique receptors on their cell surface that recognize a specific protein.
In the absence of access to CAR-T in Ireland, an exception was made in 2019 for patients to be allowed access to this drug treatment under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, where the HSE cover the cost of treatment in another country in the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in December 2021 this service became operational for adults at St. James's Hospital, and that the use of CAR-T therapy for paediatric patients is expected in the first half of this year. This is the result of more than three years of collaborative work between the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), the Department of Health, St James’s Hospital, and CHI Crumlin.
Three CAR-T therapies are licensed as medicines by the EU and are already approved for reimbursement by the HSE, with two further indications currently under consideration through the HSE reimbursement process.
It is expected that use of CAR-T cell therapies will grow in coming years. The NCCP continues to work towards improving patient outcomes by leading on the establishment of new and innovative services, such as CAR-T, in designated cancer centres.