Taoiseach defends HSE decision to restrict pain patches

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted pain relief patches must be curtailed because of addiction concerns and over-subscribing by doctors.

The removal of free Veratis patches for patients has caused outrage and seen unprecedented numbers of people contact the media as well as politicians.

Thousands have seen their access to the pain relief patches removed “overnight,” claimed Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin in the Dáil. He said this was the “cruellest” action and the patches, used by some 25,000 people, had been removed for around 90% of patients.