Treatment of Diabetes

Independent TD Thomas Pringle told the Dáil that €800 million could be saved on the treatment of diabetes, if patients had access to insulin pumps.

He said there are 666 patients in County Donegal with Type 1 diabetes, but only 20 have access to insulin pumps and that €1.3bn a year was spent on treating diabetes with €800 million on treating complications.
The Tánaiste said she would ask the Minister for Health to liaise directly with Mr. Pringle regarding the situation in County Donegal and added that additional funding had been given to primary care centres, for specialist interventions in diabetes.

Alpha One Disappointed

A campaign group for patients with genetic emphysema have said they are hugely disappointed at the decision of Minister for Health Simon Harris not to fund a drug to treat the condition.

Seventeen patients in the Republic of Ireland have been on the drug Respreeza for about ten years, under a compassionate-use programme, supported by the makers CSL Behring.
The compassionate use programme was supported by the company in the hope of HSE approval to fund the drug generally.
However, Mr Harris and the Health Service Executive told the Oireachtas Health Committee today that the State will not fund the drug for clinical reasons.

Simon Harris told an Oireachtas committee the

drug would not be funded for clinical reasons

A recent study for the HSE also said it would not be cost-effective at over €100,000 a patient a year.
This evening, the Alpha One Foundation, which represents patients, said it was hugely disappointed.
It said the drug is the only therapy to have been shown to slow the progression of the disease and has been approved by the European Medicines Agency and is available to patients in eight European countries.
It said patients are devastated at the decision and if it is let stand, it is likely to have a detrimental impact on their future health.
The compassionate-use programme was due to end next Tuesday but today the company has told patients it will be extended for two more months, to allow for further talks between the company and the State on HSE funding.
The Alpha One Foundation is to meet with the HSE tomorrow to discuss the issue.
The Department of Health said the operation of compassionate access schemes, are at the discretion of drug manufacturers.
It said any attempt by a manufacturer to link continued access for patients already being treated with a new drug with decisions under the statutory HSE funding process would, in the minister's view, be inappropriate and unethical.

Cancer Society - Real Issues

The Irish Cancer Society's head of research has warned that cancer patients, their families and their friends are vulnerable to myths and alternative therapies for cancer, that can do more harm than good.

Dr Robert O'Connor said the most common issue was a fear of modern life and that appliances, chemicals and additives were causing the disease.



None of these, he said, had any proven link to cancer risk.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Dr O'Connor said that the amount of information is overwhelming and while some of it can come from well-meaning sources, some of it is manipulative.
He advised people to check information with their GP and organisations such as the Irish Cancer Society.

He added that medicine does not always have a silver bullet for every disease.
When asked about the Irish Cancer Society's controversial ‘I want to get cancer’ advertising campaign, Dr O'Connor said it had had a big impact and helped people understand the various issues around cancer.
In addition, he said there had been an increase in calls to the helpline.
Dr O'Connor said that cancer services are "hanging on by their fingernails" and need to be funded properly.