‘Persistent delays’ in cancer drug approvals making Ireland among slowest in Europe for treatment

Cancer patients in Ireland are among the last in Europe to have access to certain drugs due to “persistent delays” approving medicines.

That is according to the representative body for the international research-based pharmaceutical industry the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, the representative body for the international research-based pharmaceutical industry.

In its second quarterly bulletin, the IPHA states that seven cancer medicines are available, on average, in 12 western European countries — but not in Ireland. This is because they still await a decision for approval for use in the Irish system. Four of these medicines are for lung cancer.

According to the National Cancer Registry, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death between 2012 and 2014, accounting for 19% of cancer deaths in women and 23% of cancer deaths in men. Each year, 2,500 people are diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the Irish Cancer Society — it is among the top five most commonly diagnosed cancers.

The latest figures for medicines awaiting approval in Ireland, against the EU14, show that 10 IPHA medicines, evaluated through the Health Technology Assessment process, are still not on the reimbursement list for approval.

These medicines are available, on average, in 12 of the 14 western EU countries, but are not routinely available and reimbursed for patients in Ireland.

Seven medicines are for cancer, two for cardiovascular disease, and one for musculoskeletal treatment. They have been in the approvals process for, on average, more than two years, which the IPHA said is an “unacceptably long time”.

A total of 16 innovative medicines have been approved for reimbursement since the start of the year and are available to patients.

IPHA chief executive Oliver O’Connor said Ireland’s progress in approving innovative medicines for patients remains frustratingly slow, especially for cancer and heart disease.

“In this, our second bulletin benchmarking medicines’ availability in Ireland against our peer EU countries, the figures show that we have made no progress since the last quarter,” said Mr O’Connor.

“This is very frustrating, both for clinicians and patients because it shows that Ireland continues to be among the slowest countries in western Europe to be able to access and reimburse innovative medicines.”

“That medicines for cancer and heart disease — Ireland’s two biggest killer diseases — feature so prominently in the list is very concerning. The Government’s National Cancer Strategy aims to place Ireland in the top quartile of European countries for cancer survival in the next decade. The persistent logjam in approving cancer medicines will make it hard for Ireland to hit that target, especially when we know that about 73% of survival gains for cancer are attributable to new treatments.”

In a statement, the Department of Health said it was not in a position to comment on claims and assertions made by the IPHA without having sight of the data which substantiates these claims.

It said evidence does not support the assertion that Ireland is an outlier when it comes to reimbursement decisions.

“The HSE has a very good track record in getting drugs approved and reimbursed and the number of applications that are declined or refused is very small,” said the statement