Public patients waiting up to two years for newly-approved medicines

Analysis by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association shows for cancer medicines, the average wait last year between new medicine becoming available and use by the HSE was 651 days.

A "two-tier" health system means public patients including those with cancer are having to wait up to two years for newly-approved medicines to which private patients get swifter access, the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) has warned.

The HSE has however, defended its approach, saying it is obliged to assess new medicines robustly and “deliver improved value for money” across patientcare.