Cancer drug access in insurance
Richard Boyd Barrett highlighted cases where patients with stage III melanoma could not access pembrolizumab because of private insurance rules. The Taoiseach said the private system normally follows the public system on medicines, that the new development was unwelcome, and that the Government was examining possible responses.
The Government has said it is committed to universal healthcare and to ending the two-tier health system. However, Professor John Crown highlighted recently the shocking situation where people with cancer, specifically stage III melanoma, cannot get the optimum healthcare - the drug pembrolizumab - and other potentially life-saving drugs because they do not have private health insurance, or do not have a particular form of private health insurance. In the last week, I received an email from a man whose wife has stage III melanoma and who has been told she cannot get this life-saving drug because she has the wrong private health insurance cover.
I think that is utterly outrageous. Does the Taoiseach agree it is utterly outrageous that whether people gain access to the best cancer treatment, potentially life-saving treatment, should depend on whether or not they have private health insurance, or have particular private health insurance?
If the Taoiseach does not think it is acceptable, what does he intend to do about it? The person who emailed me says his wife needs this treatment now. If she does not get it, her life expectancy will be compromised.
Comment on this
It has been the case for a very long time in Ireland that when it comes to the reimbursement of new medicines the private system follows the public system and the private sector and health insurers only cover the cost of new medicines after the public system has decided to cover them for public patients. This is a new development. It is certainly not a welcome development. We are analysing what we can do about it. It is difficult to know what we can do about it because we cannot have a situation whereby the private sector and private health insurers are deciding for the State which medicines it should or should not reimburse. At the same time, is it really feasible for us to ban or prohibit the private system and private insurers from offering treatments to their own patients? It is a difficult one to deal with it. I know the Deputy's preference would be to abolish private health insurance and private medicine. I do not think we would go that far but we need to examine it and try to come up with a solution.
Comment on this
What about the medicine?
