Vol. 508 No. 1
451 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the pharmaceutical products for which a drug refund could be claimed under the previous scheme in respect of products used by smokers addicted to nicotine attempting to permanently cease smoking such as nicorette nasal spray; the products currently covered under the new drug refund scheme; and the reason for excluding products previously covered from the present scheme. [17554/99]
Claims for reimbursement were made in respect of a number of nicotine replacement products under the drug cost subsidisation and drug refund schemes. From 1 July 1999, these two schemes were merged into one new drug payment scheme and a common list of reimbursable medicines was introduced for the GMS scheme and the new drug payment scheme to ensure equity in relation to the range of medicines paid for by the State under both schemes. In order for a product to be included in the common list of reimbursable items, it must satisfy a number of criteria, including that it is ordinarily supplied to the public only on foot of a medical prescription and that the product should not be advertised or promoted to the public.
Nicotine replacement therapies belong to a category of products that do not satisfy these criteria, in that they are generally available over the counter, and may be advertised directly to the public. Accordingly, they are not included in the list of items reimbursable under the common list. The Deputy will wish to know, however, that I am asking the advisory forum to the heart health task force to bring forward proposals in regard to nicotine replacement therapy and the less well off sectors of the community.
I would also point out that Department's health promotion unit conducts national multi-media anti-smoking campaigns to encourage smokers to give up and non-smokers to refrain from taking up the habit. The most recent anti-smoking campaign "Break the Habit for Good" was launched in December 1998 and this campaign takes a slightly different approach to previous campaigns. It emphasises the positive effects which quitting smoking can have on the individual and offers support in the form of an "advice kit" which, in turn, offers the support of the Irish Cancer Society's helpline. The campaign continues, by a series of national and local initiatives, to offer help and support for those people wishing to give up smoking.
