Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2023
1319. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the expansion of medicines noted in Schedule 8 of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended, to include the full range of oral hormonal contraceptives and injectable long-term contraceptives (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12931/23]
View answerAs you will be aware, and by way of context the free contraception scheme was launched on 14th September 2022, and is currently open to women aged 17-26 who are ordinarily resident in Ireland and will be extended to women aged 30 and under by September 1st, 2023. The potential to make some forms of prescription contraception available through pharmacies, without prescription by medical practitioners, was considered as part of the work of the Contraception Implementation Group and is wider than the free contraception scheme.
In Ireland at present, accessing oral contraceptives is regulated and requires a prescription from a medical practitioner in accordance with the requirements of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended. These regulations apply a comprehensive system of control to medicinal products and identify those products which may only be supplied on medical prescription, and also specify the circumstances excluding medicinal products from prescription-only control. Schedule 8 to the regulations lists those medicinal products which may be supplied and administered by pharmacists pursuant to regulation 4B, where that pharmacist has completed approved training regarding the administration of such products and the management of any adverse reaction.
In order to enable pharmacists to supply the specified products alluded to in your question without the need for a prescription, detailed clinical consideration is required in the first instance to ensure that various patient safety issues are fully respected. Following previous engagement with representative groups, my officials at my direction, are currently engaged in a process, which includes obtaining recommendations from relevant clinical experts within the HSE as to the clinical appropriateness of making some forms of currently prescription controlled contraception, available through pharmacies without the need for a prescription. This process is ongoing.
Thereafter, and with due consideration of the policy position adopted and underpinned by appropriate clinical recommendations and advice, the modality of giving effect to this decision will be considered. Any mechanism introducing this change, or indeed giving effect in a given instance to any other policy decision, must be robust, appropriate in the given context, and legally sound.
