PLANS to have the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) involved in a new scheme to remedy a situation where public patients are having to wait up to seven years to see a specialist have been welcomed by the Irish Patients Association.

DRUGS similar to the arthritis drug Vioxx, which has been withdrawn because of a possible risk of heart attack and stroke, are to be reviewed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) on Monday.

CHILDREN with arthritis are waiting up to six years for treatment because of a lack of specialists to treat their condition.