New Drug Pricing Deal

On 20th July, the Government announced details of a new agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) on the supply of medicines that will reduce the costs paid by the HSE. It is estimated that the new agreement will save €600 million in total over four years. Minister for Health Simon Harris said:

'The Government wants to ensure that Irish patients continue to have access to new and innovative medicines and that Ireland remains at the forefront of its European peers in terms of early access to medicines in an affordable manner and within available resources. As a result of this agreement with IPHA, the HSE will be in a much stronger position to meet the increasing demand for existing medicines and also to invest in new medicines over the next four years.'

You can read more about the new agreement here

MS Ireland statement on the new pricing deal 

MS Ireland welcomes any developments which seek to improve access to medications and hope that the Government and the HSE will honour their commitment to use savings made as a result of the new pricing agreement to invest in new and innovative medications. This could be particularly important in the development of treatments for progressive forms of MS, as there are no treatments available at present.  

MS Ireland strongly believes that people with MS should have access to proven and licensed treatments for their condition. Whilst the new pricing agreement is welcome, we continue to be concerned that the current system of individual hospital funding for some MS products results in a lack of access for many people with MS and we call on the Department of Health and the HSE to establish a centralised, ring-fenced funding system for these medications.

Our Access to Medicines Campaign Handbook aims to enable people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to access the medicines they need to treat their condition and impact debilitating symptoms. It provides practical advice for people with MS on their medical rights and options as well as how to engage with the health system. You can download the handbook here

Top