Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2022
414. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will allow pharmacists to substitute hormone replacement therapy products without a prescription and without having to resort to a general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33345/22]
View answerColleagues in the department and across the health sector continue to work to resolve the issues around supply of Hormone Replacement Therapies. On 19th May, I met with representatives of Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) of products implicated in the recent HRT shortages, together with Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), Health Service Executive, Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) representatives and clinical representative from the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP). An additional stakeholder meeting was held earlier this month with representatives from the Department, HPRA and HSE to discuss and assess the supply of HRT medicines.
Based on information provided by companies involved in the recent HRT shortages, supply of HRT products has largely been restored with more regular supply to resume on the remaining products from July. Each of these companies has confirmed that they have increased their forecasting to meet increased demand.
The Department plans to continue managing medicines shortages through the established multi-stakeholder medicines shortages framework that is coordinated by the HPRA. This framework was established to prevent, wherever possible, and manage medicines shortages.
The system of controls around prescribing and dispensing of human prescription controlled medicinal products (excepting those products subject to additional parameters under the Misuse of Drugs Acts and Regulations) is derived from the framework of Directive 2001/83/EC and Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, and is implemented nationally by the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003-2022. These regulations apply an up-to-date and comprehensive system of control to medicinal products and identify those products which may only be supplied on medical prescription. They define what a “prescription” is with reference to those healthcare professionals who are entitled to prescribe.
Pharmacists are experts in medicines and are the professionals optimally placed by virtue of their training to optimise the rational use of medicines in the health system for best patient outcomes, and in partnership with prescribing colleagues, to maximise the benefits and minimise the potential for patient harm when using medicines and pharmacological interventions. Pharmacists supply and dispense prescription controlled medicinal products in accordance with the authority conferred to supply, underpinned by a validly issued prescription.
The Department of Health is committed to the ethos of ensuring that the right care is delivered in the right place and at the right time for all citizens and recognises that all healthcare professionals have a role to play in optimising patient care and service delivery in line with this vision.
