Patients in Ireland could access new medicines up to a year earlier, according to a new position paper published yesterday by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA).
The paper, which evaluates access timelines against the Health Act 2013, highlights significant delays in the current system, with patients waiting nearly two years for new treatments. The IPHA’s findings underscore the urgency of the government’s commitment to ensuring faster and fairer access to medicines.
The ‘Programme for Government’ pledges to expedite the availability of new treatments, addressing disparities between public and private healthcare in Ireland and aligning with international standards.
Clinicians face challenges in prescribing new medicines due to these delays, impacting patient outcomes.
Responding to Euractiv’s question about pledges to move faster, a spokesperson for Ireland’s Department of Health (DoH) said the Minister highlighted the new Programme for Government’s commitment to provide patients with new medicines and treatments as quickly as possible.
In addition to speed of access, they said: “The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, in her speech yesterday, at the IPHA annual conference (…) outlined how the State is willing to pay for new and innovative therapies for patients which “must deliver real returns for the taxpayer consistent with security of supply.”
Listening mode
Address conference delegates MacNeill said: “I’m really keen to try to work with all of you to really listen to where you say there are issues. Tell me where there are issues and, on the other side, let’s just try to resolve any issues from the industry perspective, because we basically want the same thing which is easier, quicker access.”
Ireland’s medicine reimbursement system is not fit for purpose, a pharmaceuticals industry conference heard on Wednesday, with patients currently taking over twice as long to get access to new cutting-edge medicines than expected – if they are approved at all.
Speaking at the conference, former Health Service Executive (HSE) director general Tony O’Brien said the current medicines approval system medicines was established in 2013 as Ireland emerged from the global recession. Delegates heard how the system was no longer fit for purpose.
The IPHA report reveals that, on average, it takes 617 days for medicines to be reimbursed, with cancer treatments taking 694 days and orphan medicines 655 days. Medicines requiring a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) face the longest delays, averaging 916 days.
Reform, a 180-day timeline
The report calls for the reimbursement system to be resourced and governed to meet the 180-day timeline mandated by the Health Act 2013. Achieving this could reduce patient wait times by over a year. The IPHA said it is not seeking legislative changes but reforms to ensure adherence to existing laws.
The DoH told Euractiv that “Ireland actively and strongly encourages all marketing authorisation holders of new pharmaceutical products to apply for reimbursement once marketing authorisation is granted by the European Medicines Agency.”
Oliver O’Connor, IPHA Chief Executive, emphasized the potential impact of these reforms: “A year can make a significant difference in a patient’s life. By adhering to the legislation, we can ensure patients access new medicines within a year, rather than nearly two years.”
The IPHA proposes incorporating ‘Five Key Principles’ into the upcoming 2025 Framework Agreement negotiations to improve patient care and system efficiency. These principles aim to foster productive partnerships between pharmaceutical companies, the Health Service Executive (HSE), and the Government.
Collective effort needed
The government’s commitment to reviewing the reimbursement process and implementing the Mazars Review recommendations is also seen as a positive step. IPHA believes that with collective effort, the system can be reformed to provide timely access to innovative treatments, fulfilling the Programme for Government’s commitments.
The IPHA’s paper underscores the need for a reimbursement system that is adequately resourced, governed, and designed to operate within the legal 180-day timeline set by the Oireachtas in 2013.
The current system, where 86% of medicines reimbursed during the three-year period exceeded the 180-day timeline, is said to be untenable.
The report also highlights the inefficiencies within the current system. On average, it took five months from the final price offer being proposed by a company to the State before the medicine reached the patient. This delay is a significant bottleneck that needs to be addressed.
Upcoming negotiations
The IPHA’s findings are based on a comprehensive dataset of all medicines reimbursed from 2022 to 2024, covering 93% of the total. The data reveals that state processes accounted for approximately 65% of the time taken for medicines requiring a full HTA, translating to an average of 593 days.
The IPHA’s call for reform is timely given the upcoming negotiations for a new Framework Agreement on the pricing and supply of medicines between the IPHA and the State in 2025 presents an opportunity to incorporate the Five Key Principles of mutual commitments.
If adopted, these principles could improve patient care, foster more productive partnerships, and enhance the functioning of the health system.
