Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has claimed that nine new drug treatments which the HSE has approved are now in limbo because they don’t actually have enough funds to purchase them. The Sinn Féin TD said the drugs include ones for cancer, heart conditions, arthritis, depression and Crohn’s disease.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“We are only half way through the year and worryingly the HSE is in a situation where they have approved nine drug treatments and want to purchase them for patients in severe need but cannot do so because they do not have enough funding. The new drugs include ones for the treatment of ovarian cancer, heart conditions, arthritis, depression and Crohn’s disease.

“New information released through a Parliamentary Question has shown that drugs have had to be put on hold because their ‘reimbursement application could not be funded from within the HSE current budgetary envelope’.

“It is really frustrating patients and their loved ones knowing that new drugs that can ease their suffering and have supposedly been approved are now in limbo due to the absence of vital funding.

“The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, needs to come forward with answers and give some rationale to families into why just over 6 months into the year the HSE is once again struggling to purchase the new ground breaking drugs which they believe are necessary and transformative. He also needs to make a statement outlying the number of people that are waiting for these new drugs and how long they expect to wait before additional funding is to be made available.”

ENDS