The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), the representative body for the research based biopharmaceutical industry in Ireland, welcomes the allocation of €30 million for new medicines in Budget 2025.
Advances in medicines development are steadily growing and IPHA members expect to make applications for reimbursement for 36 medicines in 2025. Arising from this budget allocation, as many as 3,700 patients, along with their families and carers, could now benefit from access to therapeutic advances. These medicines would improve the standard of care for patients suffering from a number of diseases such as cancer –breast cancer, leukaemia, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma and others – Alzheimer’s, stroke, women’s health conditions, migraine, dermatitis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, type 2 diabetes and liver disease.
IPHA also welcomes in Budget 2025 the introduction of a Chicken Pox vaccination programme. Vaccination and immunisation programmes play a vital role in protecting people’s health and, as vaccines are the most effective preventative measure against infectious diseases, they have a positive impact on the wider healthcare system.
As an industry we have been calling for greater transparency in the reimbursement system for quite some time. Therefore, we also welcome reports that an online medicines’ application tracker will be launched on the HSE website shortly. The purpose of this tracker will be to detail when a pricing application is received by the HSE and whether the application is progressing through the process. This level of transparency in the reimbursement process is vital for patients, clinicians and industry who will now be able to track a medicine as it progresses through each stage of the process.
While welcoming reported progress on the tracker, it is important that further steps are made to implement ‘indicative timelines’ for the completion of each stage of the reimbursement process. With this further initiative it should be possible for the all to see the HSE reaching a decision on the reimbursement of a lifeenhancing medicine within the legal requirement of 180 days, as set out in the Health Act 2013.
Commenting on Budget 2025 allocation for new medicines, Oliver O’Connor, Chief Executive of IPHA said, “We welcome the funding of ¤30 million for new medicines which will greatly improve patient standards of care by ensuring they can avail of the latest innovative medicines available. We also welcome reported progress on the online medicines’ application tracker which will give everyone concerned greater visibility and transparency.
“IPHA members are very conscious of their responsibilities in ensuring a faster and continuous flow of life-enhancing new medicines for patients in Ireland.
We believe that doctors should have the right medicine available for prescription for their patients at the right time. We are calling for parties in their General Election Manifestos to give a new voice for doctors in prioritising new medicines for patients. We believe that Involving clinicians from the outset of the process will allow medicines to be available for patients faster.
“We will continue to work with all stakeholders to improve the process and enhance healthcare outcomes for patients in Ireland.”
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