Innovative medicines make a difference, yet Ireland continues to wait

At a briefing session of Oireachtas, Ireland's national parliament, TDs and Senators heard of the human impact of delayed access to new, innovative medicines and the consequences for patients of no dedicated funding.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) presented data describing medicines which were planned for 2024 that may not now progress due to lack of new development funding. These same medicines are already available in many other European countries, including Northern Ireland, highlighting the inadequacies of the current system for Irish patients.

The IPHA noted that Budget 2024 runs the risk of even longer waiting times for patients by potentially interrupting the flow of new medicines from January next year. While a commitment has been made by the government to find funding through existing spend which will be reinvested in new medicines, Irish patients may not have the time to wait while these savings are found. It is essential that finding these efficiency savings is prioritised in the absence of dedicated funding.