PRESS
RELEASE
IPHA
welcomes IMO stance on access to new medicines
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare
Association (IPHA) has welcomed the tabling of a motion at the Annual
Conference of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) regarding patient access to
new medicines.
The IMO motion calls on the Minister for
Health to ensure that new medicines, which have completed satisfactory
pharmaceutical and economic evaluation, are immediately reimbursed on the State
Drug Schemes.
Welcoming IMO’s stance, David Gallagher, IPHA
President said:
The
research based pharmaceutical industry is constantly developing new and
innovative medicines which offer great hope for the management of chronic
illnesses. As well as being in breach of the current agreement with the IPHA
regarding the supply of medicines, the failure on the part of the HSE to fund
new products that have successfully completed the HTA process, is denying Irish
patients access to a growing range of treatments that are routinely available
in other countries.
I
sincerely hope that Minister Reilly will take heed of this motion and instruct
the HSE to immediately ensure that its agreement with the IPHA is adhered to
and that Irish patients, regardless of income, can access new and often life
changing treatments”.
Friday 13th April, 2012
Notes
for editors
Among new products awaiting funding under the
State Schemes are:
PRODUCT TREATMENT
Brilique (AstraZeneca) Acute coronary syndromes
Gilenya (Novartis) MS
Pradaxa (Boehringer – Ingelheim) Stroke prevention
Sycrest (Lundbeck) Bipolar disorder
Victrelis (MSD) hep C
Yervoy (BMS) Melanoma
About
IPHA
The
Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) represents the international
research-based pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. Its members include both
manufacturers of prescription medicines and non-prescription or consumer health
care medicines as well as companies that supply vaccines given to the Irish
population.
Today
people in Ireland live longer, healthier and more active lives, in part, due to
medical progress and pharmaceutical and vaccines research and development. Not
only is the pharmaceutical industry critical to the health of the nation, it
plays a critical and substantial role in the Irish economy.
For information contact:
Philip Hannon
Communications and
Public Affairs Manager
Irish
Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association
016630933
087 2870891