Michael McHale , 2025-05-07 08:38:00
Just one-in-four new cancer treatments licensed since 2020 are currently available in Ireland
Ireland has the lowest rate of availability for new cancer medicines in Western Europe, according to data released by the pharmaceutical industry.
Of the 56 new medicines licenced since 2020, just 14 have been made available to Irish cancer patients.
According to a new report by European pharmaceutical body EFPIA, Ireland ranks among the bottom of Western European countries when it comes to availability of newly licensed cancer treatments.
The research also found that patients in Ireland continue to wait longer than their peers in most Western European countries to access life-enhancing new medicines after they have already been authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Cancer patients in Ireland continue to wait almost two years or 644 days to access newly licensed medicines. This is 55 days longer than last year and above the EU average of 586 days.
The overall time to make a medicine routinely available in Ireland has lengthened significantly, from 477 days in 2020 to 645 days last year.
The survey of 36 European countries, including 27 in the European Union, covers the full four years between 2020 and 2023 analysing 173 innovative medicines authorised for use by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Releasing the findings, the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) argued that lower rates of availability for cancer medicines means inferior treatment options for patients and clinicians than is routinely available in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
The group, which represents the pharmaceutical industry here, is calling for a reform of the Irish reimbursement system needs to ensure it is resourced, governed and designed to operate within the legal 180-days timeline for HSE decisions set by the Oireachtas in 2013.
“This report analysed IPHA medicines reimbursed in Ireland during the period 2022-2024 and found that 86 per cent were in excess of the 180 days allowed to the HSE,” said IPHA CEO Oliver O’Connor.
“The figures released by EFPIA today are a further indication of the inefficiencies within the system in Ireland, while patients continue to wait for the care they deserve.”
Their proposals include five key principles – covering costs, communication and efficiencies – as part of negotiations into the framework agreement on the pricing and supply of medicines between IPHA and the State which are due to take place later this year.
