Simon Harris: Pharma firm using cystic fibrosis patients as pawns

Health Minister Simon Harris has criticised a major drug firm for using seriously ill cystic fibrosis patients as “pawns” in negotiations with the HSE, saying people are being taken advantage of to maximise the pay packets of “executives and shareholders”.

He made the comment during a Seanad debate on the stand-off, insisting the Government’s position has been misrepresented by drug company Vertex to imply the State will not negotiate over the Orkambi drug price.

Speaking 24 hours after attending an EU health ministers meeting on pharmaceutical drug costs and a day after Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Vertex was “ripping off the taxpayer”, Mr Harris said the firm was using patients as “pawns”. And while he emphasised the Government is open to genuine negotiations when it again meets with Vertex shortly, he said this was only possible if the firm “engages on the pricing concerns”.