Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 May 2014
906. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 25 February 2014, with regard to the refusal to cover Fampridine tablets under the reimbursement scheme, if he will revisit the decision in view of the serious benefit it was providing for MS sufferers and the fact that to get the drug is now costing them almost €400 per month. [23097/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes. The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Fampridine (Fampyra®) in the GMS and community drugs schemes. As I stated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 25th February 2014, the application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new medicines. In accordance with these procedures, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Fampridine and concluded that, as the manufacturer was unable to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of fampridine in the Irish healthcare setting, it was unable to recommend the reimbursement of the product. The report is available on the NCPE's website (www.ncpe.ie). The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. In these circumstances, the HSE has not approved the reimbursement of Fampridine under the GMS or other community drug schemes.
