Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
833. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if she will consider including mounjaro on the medical card scheme for medical card holders aged over 70; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44909/26]
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 HSE have been asked to provide an update in this matter.
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 assesses 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 a number of criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®):
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th January 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise: as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications, or in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes.
- The NCPE publishes details of medicines where the HSE has commissioned a Rapid Review assessment and / or a full health technology assessment on their website.The website is updated at regular intervals and includes assessment outcomes and updates on reimbursement for each individual medicine and indication listed. Details of the assessment(s) of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for Type 2 diabetes mellitus are available at: []www.ncpe.ie/tirzepatide-mounjaro-hta-id-24003/.
Weight management
- The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th June 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes mellitus).
- The NCPE publishes details of medicines where the HSE has commissioned a Rapid Review assessment and / or a full health technology assessment on their website. The website is updated at regular intervals and includes assessment outcomes and updates on reimbursement for each individual medicine and indication listed. Details of the assessment(s) of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management are available at: []www.ncpe.ie/tirzepatide-mounjaro-hta-id-24024/.
The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The pharmacoeconomics report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group will consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE CPU has met with the applicant to discuss these applications. Both applications remain under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
