AQW 23697/17-22

Mrs Pam Cameron
Democratic Unionist Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 05/10/2021
Answered On Date: 22/10/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health how the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland will impact on Northern Ireland's participation in the UK early access to medicines scheme, post-grace period.

Answer:

The Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) is one of the ways through which a patient with a life threatening or seriously debilitating condition can gain access to a medicine before it has gained approval from the United Kingdom (UK) medicines regulatory authority.

EAMS medicines can be quite diverse which creates challenges in assessing the impact of the Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol on the scheme overall. However, it is important to note that a number of measures are in place to ensure that patients in NI are able to access new and innovative medicines at the same time as other patients in the rest of the UK.

My Department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to resolve any outstanding issues relating to the implementation of the Protocol, including access to new and innovative medicines. Maintaining the continuity of medicines supplies for the citizens of NI is my department’s goal as well as a commitment to ensuring equity of access to treatments with the rest of the UK.

On 13th October 2021 the European Commission published new proposals on the NI Protocol, including a non-paper on medicines. These proposals are being given careful consideration.