Written Answers Nos. 300-322
300. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of people resident in County Louth waiting for a first outpatient appointment at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda in each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026, by specialty; and the median and longest waiting times. [10590/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
301. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of people awaiting orthopaedic outpatient appointments and orthopaedic procedures via Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the waiting times by urgency category where available. [10591/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
302. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of people awaiting ENT (ear, nose and throat) outpatient appointments via Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the median and longest waits. [10592/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
303. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of people awaiting cardiology outpatient appointments and diagnostics in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda catchment for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the waiting times involved. [10593/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
304. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Louth awaiting home support for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026 including numbers approved but not yet commenced; hours approved vs delivered; and average waiting times. [10594/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
305. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of applications from County Louth awaiting decision/placement under the nursing homes support scheme for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the average time from application to funding decision. [10595/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
306. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of children in County Louth awaiting HSE public dental services including special needs dentistry for each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and to provide waiting times and staffing levels. [10596/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
307. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Health if her Department will provide the current timelines for orthodontist wait lists in the HSE for primary school children in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10607/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
308. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Health if her Department will provide the current timelines for orthodontist wait lists in the HSE for primary school children in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10608/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
309. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure urgent access to welireg (belzutifan) for a young adult with von Hippel-Lindau disease in County Kildare (details supplied) where clinicians advise that delay risks irreversible loss of neurological and functional ability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10622/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter and under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
310. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if there is provision of funds to provide for future medical malpractice lawsuits that may be taken against the Government as a result of children having undergone irreversible gender transition surgery. [10623/26]
View answerThe State Claims Agency has a statutory remit to manage personal injury and third-party property damage claims on behalf of State authorities. The SCA seeks reimbursement from the relevant State authority for costs incurred by it in managing claims on an ongoing basis. Provision for these costs is made as part of the annual estimates process and the incurred costs arising are met from current expenditure. Provision is not made for potential claims that may arise in the future.
As there is no specialist gender service for children and young people (under the age of 16), the current pathway for children and young people is to attend their GP who may refer the patient to their local CAMHS service. If specialised gender assessment and support is required, children are then referred by a CAMHS consultant to the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service in the U.K. under the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for a multidisciplinary assessment. Gender affirming surgery is not available for children and young people in Ireland. Additionally, in Ireland, no person under the age of 18 has been referred for gender affirming surgery under TAS.
311. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if she will address the serious issues raised in correspondence relating to the shingles vaccination (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10632/26]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC considers the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland as well as international best practice in relation to immunisation when developing its advice.
The current NIAC guidelines state that the shingles vaccine may be considered for those aged 65 years and older, due to the greater burden and severity of disease in this age group and in those aged 18 years and older at increased risk of shingles.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has carried out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. HIQA’s HTA examined the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and safety of shingles vaccines. The cost effectiveness and budget impact were also reviewed, along with the ethical, social and organisational implications of including the vaccine in the adult immunisation schedule.
HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule, at the vaccine price at the time, for all adults aged 65 years and over would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.
While the vaccine is considered safe and effective, its protective effect diminishes over time. HIQA also noted the substantial budget impact associated with vaccination. If made available to everyone aged 65 and older, vaccination would cost €218 million over five years.
Whilst the HTA found that the introduction of the shingles vaccine was not cost effective based on the cost of the vaccine, it found that it could be cost effective for vaccination of those at 75 years and 80 years if the cost of the vaccine was reduced by 80%.
Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.
My Department of Health considered the findings of this HTA in 2024 and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable.
I can confirm that the introduction of the shingles vaccine to the immunisation schedule in Ireland is again being actively considered for a cohort of immunocompromised individuals, in line with NIAC advice and cognisant of the cost effectiveness of market pricing and available funding.
312. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the office or authority which withdrew the 2017 HSE Position Paper Wind Turbines and Public Health; if, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the National Director of Public Health were notified of this withdrawal; if so, the dates of same; if and when the Department of Housing; Local Government and Heritage was similarly notified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10640/26]
View answerI am informed that in autumn 2025 the HSE reviewed the 2017 HSE Position Paper on Wind Turbines and Public Health due to outdated information. This review was part of the HSE's ongoing quality assurance processes, which are initiated whenever new information or evidence emerges related to published guidance. Consequently, the HSE National Health Protection Office, in consultation with the HSE National Director of Public Health, decided to withdraw the Position Paper in November 2025. The Office of the Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health became aware of the Position Paper withdrawal in December 2025. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage should be contacted directly in relation to when they were notified of this withdrawal.
313. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10646/26]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
314. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to expedite a procedure for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10652/26]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
315. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive has completed, or is in the process of completing, any National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics Rapid Review, Health Technology Assessment, or other formal evaluation for tirzepatide (mounjaro) and semaglutide (wegovy) for obesity or weight management; the date on which each assessment commenced; the current stage reached in each case; and the expected month in 2026 in which a pricing and reimbursement decision will be brought to the HSE senior leadership team. [10654/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
316. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive or her Department has prepared, commissioned, received, or reviewed any cost-effectiveness analysis, budget impact analysis, or economic model relating to the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines for obesity or weight management, including semaglutide and tirzepatide; whether any such analysis includes modelling of downstream cost offsets relating to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or related complications; and if so, to provide the title, authoring body, and completion date of each such analysis. [10655/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
317. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the policy or decision framework used by the Health Service Executive when considering prevention-based outcomes, including reductions in the future incidence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, in medicines reimbursement decisions under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; and whether the Department has issued, or intends to issue, policy guidance on how long-term prevention savings are weighted in value-for-money assessments. [10656/26]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices including GLP-1 medications; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
318. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has undertaken or commissioned any assessment of the equity implications of current access arrangements for GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines for obesity or weight management, including the extent to which access is determined by capacity to pay out of pocket rather than clinical need; and whether the forthcoming national obesity strategy will include policy commitments on equitable access to evidence-based pharmacological treatments for obesity. [10657/26]
View answer321. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the national obesity strategy currently in development will explicitly address the role of pharmacological treatment for obesity, including eligibility, reimbursement pathways, and equity of access; and whether she will outline how medicines policy is being aligned with the objectives of that strategy. [10660/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 321 together.
In accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 the HSE has sole statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes. Under the 2013 Act, reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation either by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The HSE is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
The HSE must robustly assess applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement of medicines (including GLP-1 medicines) of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and,
(9) The resources available to the HSE.
Medicines are added to the formal Reimbursement List following detailed assessments which include assessment of the clinical evidence, the economic evidence and the budget impact of a decision to reimburse specific indications of a medicine. The Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) of the HSE is required to reimburse in line with approved decisions of the HSE’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The HSE is required to formally assess each medicine and each specific use of such medicines before reimbursing them.
Controls are in place within the HSE on claiming processes to ensure that only HSE approved indications are reimbursed across a range of medicines. Controls are currently in place for the Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to restrict reimbursement support to the HSE approved indication of Diabetes. This includes Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Trulicity® (Dulaglutide). Therefore, these products are not reimbursed under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) and are confined to those persons with full General Medical Services (GMS/Medical Card) and Long-Term Illness (Diabetes Mellitus) eligibility.
Diabetes is one of the Long-Term Illness (LTI) conditions for which eligible LTI persons can access their medicines to treat their Diabetes free of charge. Patients diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus are entitled to be registered under the LTI Scheme.
Liraglutide (Saxenda®) 6 mg/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen is the only product currently approved under Community Drug Schemes (GMS/Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS)) for weight management with a managed access system in place.
In line with the HSE reimbursement approval above, the HSE Medicines Management Programme (MMP) developed a Managed Access Protocol (MAP for liraglutide (Saxenda®) as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management in adult patients, with an initial BMI of 35 kg/m2 with prediabetes and high-risk for cardiovascular disease.
This MAP outlines the criteria that must be satisfied in order for a patient to be recommended for reimbursement of liraglutide (Saxenda®); further information is available on the MMP website https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/medicines-management/managed-access-protocols/liraglutide-saxenda-/liraglutide-saxenda.html.
Clinicians are required to submit an application for reimbursement support of liraglutide (Saxenda®) for their patients through an online application system.
Applications are reviewed by the MMP on a case-by-case basis, and a reimbursement recommendation is communicated back to the clinician or further information may be requested if required.
Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) and Wegovy® (semaglutide) are not reimbursable under Community Drug Schemes as they are currently undergoing formal pricing and reimbursement assessments by the HSE.
With respect to the current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), this was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025). OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy.
It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
The Department of Health is currently in the process of developing a new obesity strategy. Over the last year, extensive consultation has been carried out with public health experts and the public through a number of workshops, focus groups and a public consultation. The results of these will be used to inform the development of the new strategy, which is expected to be published this year.
319. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the eligibility criteria, prescribing settings, and clinical governance requirements applying to the managed access system under which liraglutide (Saxenda) is reimbursed under the General Medical Services and Drugs Payment Schemes; and to provide the number of patients approved under this pathway in each of the years 2024 and 2025, and to date in 2026. [10658/26]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
320. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current policy position of her Department on whether GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines for obesity or weight management should be eligible for reimbursement under the Drugs Payment Scheme, subject to health technology assessment and clinical governance; whether any policy review is under way in the context of the development of the new national obesity strategy; and the expected publication date of any updated policy position arising. [10659/26]
View answerThe current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025). OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
The Department of Health is currently in the process of developing a new obesity strategy. Over the last year, extensive consultation has been carried out with public health experts and the public through a number of workshops, focus groups and a public consultation. The results of these will be used to inform the development of the new strategy, which is expected to be published this year.
In accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 the HSE has sole statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes. Under the 2013 Act, reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation either by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The HSE is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
The HSE must robustly assess applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to patients.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement of medicines including GLP-1 medicines of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and,
(9) The resources available to the HSE.
Medicines are added to the formal Reimbursement List following detailed assessments which include assessment of the clinical evidence, the economic evidence and the budget impact of a decision to reimburse specific indications of a medicine. The Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) of the HSE is required to reimburse in line with approved decisions of the HSE’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The HSE is required to formally assess each medicine and each specific use of such medicines before reimbursing them.
Controls are in place within the HSE on claiming processes to ensure that only HSE approved indications are reimbursed across a range of medicines. Controls are currently in place for the Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to restrict reimbursement support to the HSE approved indication of Diabetes. This includes Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Trulicity® (Dulaglutide). Therefore, these products are not reimbursed under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) and are confined to those persons with full General Medical Services (GMS/Medical Card) and Long-Term Illness (Diabetes Mellitus) eligibility.
Diabetes is one of the Long-Term Illness (LTI) conditions for which eligible LTI persons can access their medicines to treat their Diabetes free of charge. Patients diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus are entitled to be registered under the LTI Scheme.
Liraglutide (Saxenda®) 6 mg/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen is the only product currently approved under Community Drug Schemes (GMS/Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS)) for weight management with a managed access system in place.
In line with the HSE reimbursement approval above, the HSE Medicines Management Programme (MMP) developed a Managed Access Protocol (MAP for liraglutide (Saxenda®) as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management in adult patients, with an initial BMI of 35 kg/m2 with prediabetes and high-risk for cardiovascular disease.
This MAP outlines the criteria that must be satisfied in order for a patient to be recommended for reimbursement of liraglutide (Saxenda®); further information is available on the MMP website:www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/medicines-management/managed-access-protocols/liraglutide-saxenda-/liraglutide-saxenda.html.
Clinicians are required to submit an application for reimbursement support of liraglutide (Saxenda®) for their patients through an online application system.
Applications are reviewed by the MMP on a case-by-case basis, and a reimbursement recommendation is communicated back to the clinician or further information may be requested if required.
Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) and Wegovy® (semaglutide) are not reimbursable under Community Drug Schemes as they are currently undergoing formal pricing and reimbursement assessments by the HSE.
322. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health to establish a national screening programme for prostate cancer, given the significance of early detection in improving health outcome, patient prognosis and quality of life. [10665/26]
View answerI am committed to supporting Ireland’s screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.
The Programme for Government commits to undertake a review of European screening and early detection programmes including for prostate and gastric cancers, to guide any further expansion of screening programmes. It also commits to research, implement and evaluate cancer prevention and early detection initiatives, including prostate cancer.
I would note that any proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols.
The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is the independent expert group that considers proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes. NSAC assesses the evidence in a robust and transparent manner and against internationally accepted criteria, before making recommendations to myself as Minister.
Recommendations from NSAC are generally based on the findings of comprehensive Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reports, which are undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on behalf of the Committee.
HTAs facilitate the assessment of relevant evidence and knowledge on the effects and consequences of healthcare technologies to guide decisions regarding the appropriate use of technology and efficient allocation of resources. They involve a multi-disciplinary assessment of the clinical, economic, ethical, legal and societal perspectives that may be impacted by the introduction of a new technology. They are time intensive and rigorous processes.
A HTA to consider a potential prostate cancer screening programme has not yet commenced. The current focus of NSAC is on the conclusion of evidence reviews related to proposed expansions to the BreastCheck programme, as well as the potential introduction of a screening programme for Familial Hypercholesterolemia and the addition of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia to the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme. Recommendations on all three of these conditions will be submitted to myself for consideration throughout 2026.
Nevertheless, I recognise that across Europe, several major research initiatives are underway to assess the feasibility of prostate cancer screening programmes, many involving Irish-based researchers.
In this regard, I welcome the involvement of Irish-based researchers in the EU4Health funded project, titled PRAISE-U, which is exploring the feasibility of risk-stratified screening for prostate cancer to help reduce morbidity and mortality caused by the disease, while avoiding overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.
The findings from these studies will contribute to the evidence base for future consideration by NSAC. I look forward to receiving a recommendation from the Committee in due course.
Finally, I would emphasise that screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact a medical professional immediately.
