HSE Coeliac Remarks Utter Nonsense– Crowe

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has criticised the decision of the Health Service Executive to cut support for food products for Coeliacs with Medical Cards and the measure as ill thought out.

Crowe said that it was clear, that who ever signed off on this policy cut, knows nothing about the difficulties facing those living with coeliac disease. He described as utter nonsense a HSE spokespersons justification for the cut,  was that “coeliac products are considerably cheaper in a  supermarket.”

Coeliac disease is not an allergy or simple food intolerance, it’s an autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. If untreated it can lead to severe weight loss, calcium deficiency, including brittle bones, chronic and perforated intestine problems, and even bowel cancer

In people with coeliac disease the immune reaction is triggered by gluten, a collective name for a type of protein found in the cereals wheat, rye and barley and some people are even sensitive to oats.

Ireland has one of the highest amounts of suffers affected by coeliac disease in the world.

Deputy Seán Crowe said

“Many Coeliac families are now facing considerably bigger pharmacy bills with the announcement from the Health Service Executive that many gluten-free products are no longer going to be reimbursed under State schemes. The move will affect patients including medical card holders, as well as those on the drug payment scheme, and the long-term illness scheme.

“Coeliac disease is a condition causing some adults and children to react violently to gluten – the protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten-free products include staple items such as baking powder, breads, flour, pasta, pizza bases and cereals.

“These cuts are ill thought out and will have a huge impact on many families who have one or more with the coeliac condition

“For a saving of a miserly €3.6 million some 16,000 coeliac medical card holders will lose the support they traditionally received to meet the outrageous cost of gluten-free food products.

“It is a straight cut to an existing support with nothing to replace it.

“Gluten-free products are far more expensive than ordinary foods and cost an absolute fortune in this country. You only have to visit a supermarket and see at the actual price of gluten free products to realise the impact these cuts are going to have on suffers It’s an absolute nonsense for HSE to state otherwise. The average cost is 3 euros for a loaf of gluten free bread compared to as little as 65 cent for a similar sized loaf in some supermarkets.”