925. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if a treatment (details supplied) can be made available under the medical card and the drugs payment scheme. [49703/26]

The Government is committed to investing in new medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 270 new medicines, to date. 74 of these new medicines were for rare diseases. Budget 2026 allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.

The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.

There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.

The HSE considers criteria, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement.

In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of house dust mite extract (Acarizax®):

The HSE received a complete application for pricing and reimbursement of house dust mite extract (Acarizax®) on the 10th December 2025 from ALK-Abello (the applicant) indicated in patients (5-65 years) diagnosed by clinical history and a positive test of house dust mite sensitisation (skin prick test and/or specific IgE) with persistent moderate to severe house dust mite allergic rhinitis despite use of symptom-relieving medication.

Further information on the progress of house dust mite extract (Acarizax®) through the HSE assessment and approval processes is available via the Pricing and Reimbursement Application tracker available at https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/information-healthcare-workers/pcrs/corporate-pharmaceutical-unit/ . HSE application ID HSE100082 has been assigned to this application.

The application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.