The HSE has effectively placed a freeze on the availability of new medicines under the High Tech Drugs Scheme. Once medications are cleared by the costs "wathcdog", the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, doctors can prescribe these medicines free of charge for their patients.
However, due to the high costs associated with the scheme, even drugs which have been approved by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics have not been included on the High Tech Scheme.
NAI intends to monitor this situtation closely and has contacted all its members to assess the impact of this decision.