Ozempic: Health minister confirms who'll get weight loss wonder drug for free
Most people who use the drug have lost weight rapidly
Only Medical Card holders are to get the weight loss wonder drug Ozempic free in Ireland. Everyone else will have to pay for it out of their own pocket, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has confirmed.
It normally costs between €100 to €200 euros per month depending on pharmacy. The Minister flagged that the HSE has refused to make the drug available under the national drug payment scheme.
Mr Donnelly was responding to representatives on the issue from the Tipperary Labour TD Alan Kelly.
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The Minister said: “The Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes in accordance with the the Health Act 2013.
“Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency ( EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority ( HPRA).
“ In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry , a company must submit an application to the HSE to ave a new medicine added to the reimbursement list or to have a new indication for a medicine added to the list.
“In making a relevant reimbursement decision the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public , cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact.
“Ozempic (Semaglutide) is indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Ozempic is not licensed or reimbursed for the treatment of weight management in a non-diabetic population.
“ Therefore reimbursement support for Ozempic ( Semaglutide) for the licensed indication only is available to those with eligibility under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme or the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme. Ozempic is not available on the Drugs Payment Scheme.”
Thousands of people who are seriously overweight but not diabetic are buying the drug to lose weight. Many are getting their GP to prescribe it for them.
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