Ireland has the lowest rate of availability for new cancer medicines in Western Europe, limiting treatment options for patients.

• Only one in four of 56 new cancer treatments licensed since 2020 are currently available in Ireland.
• Patients in Ireland continue to wait longer than their peers in most Western European countries to access life-enhancing new medicines.
• A New IPHA Framework Agreement this year can be the vehicle through which to reform the reimbursement system to deliver faster and fairer access to new medicines.

Ireland continues to rank among the bottom of Western European countries when it comes to availability of newly licensed cancer treatments, according to a new report by data analysts IQVIA for EFPIA, the European pharmaceutical body.

The survey of 36 European countries, including 27 in the European Union, covers the full four years between 2020 and 2023 analysing 173 innovative medicines authorised for use by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Key points this year are:

• Of the 56 oncology medicines which were granted an EMA licence since 2020, only 14 or 25% are currently available in Ireland. Of Western European countries this is the lowest rate of availability for cancer medicines which means treatment options are more limited here.
• Cancer patients in Ireland continue to wait almost two years or 644 days, post EMA authorisation, to access newly licensed medicines. This is 55 days longer than last year and above the EU average of 586 days.
• The overall time to make a medicine routinely available in Ireland has lengthened significantly since 2020 when it took 477 days: in 2024 it was 645 days.

Longer access to medicines timelines in Ireland mean a lower standard of care than could be available for patients. Lower rates of availability for cancer medicines means inferior treatment options for patients and clinicians than is routinely available in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

The experience of other countries, which in some cases can make medicines available in half the time while still managing budgets and doing value for money assessments, demonstrates that improved partnerships between health authorities and pharmaceutical companies are possible and should become a policy priority in Ireland. Indeed, in the Programme for Government there is a recognition of the delays within the system with a commitment to ensure that patients have access to new medicines ‘as quickly as possible.’

During 2025 there is an opportunity to address the deficiencies within the Irish reimbursement and pricing system via the Framework Agreement on the Pricing and Supply of Medicines. The current agreement is due to expire in September. Based on the above figures, it is clear that the reimbursement system needs to be resourced, governed and designed to operate within the legal 180-days timeline for HSE decisions set by the Oireachtas in 2013. IPHA are not calling for a change to the law but rather reform of the system to ensure all parties involved adhere to the legislation and the process delivers what the legislation promises.

Oliver O’Connor, Chief Executive of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, said: “Earlier this year, IPHA published a position paper making the case for Faster and Fairer Access to Medicines by measuring access timelines against the Health Act 2013, which obliges the HSE to make decisions on applications for reimbursement of new medicines within 180 days. This report analysed IPHA medicines reimbursed in Ireland during the period 2022-2024 and found that 86% were in excess of the 180 days allowed to the HSE. The figures released by EFPIA today are a further indication of the inefficiencies within the system in Ireland, while patients continue to wait for the care they deserve.

“Patients in Ireland deserve better, and we can do better, if the political and administrative desire is there. Pharmaceutical treatments can represent a lifeline to cancer patients, significantly enhance quality of life and change the prognosis of individual patients.

“IPHA has proposed Five Key Principles of mutual commitments that should be included in the new Framework Agreement. If adopted, these principles will improve patient care in Ireland through quicker access to innovative medicines. We look forward to engaging with the State over the coming months to ensure we reverse the trend of slower access to medicines in Ireland going forward”.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor:

• Other Western European countries analysed with higher rates of availability include: Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, France, England, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Iceland.
• Full report available here.