3631. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the clinical and gender-equality justification for current HSE guidelines that restrict routine serum ferritin and iron panel testing on standard general practice blood draws; if she is aware that relying solely on full blood counts (FBC) systematically underdiagnoses iron deficiency without anaemia (IDWA) in menstruating and perimenopausal women (details supplied); if she will direct the HSE to reinstate automated or age/gender-stratified ferritin screening for women aged 12 to 55 to close this diagnostic gap in women's healthcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62009/26]

I have asked the HSE to response directly to the Deputy on the matters raised by the Deputy, including the current clinical guidance and pathways relating to the investigation of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, as well as any relevant evidence underpinning the use of ferritin testing in primary care.