Removal of drug from GMS scheme is costing cancer patient €100 a month
The drug will now cost him over €100 a month
A MAN battling incurable cancer has been dealt another cruel blow this week with the decision to remove one of the vital drugs he needs from the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme, leaving him with an additional cost of more than €100 a month.
David Wilkins from Swing Cross, Ballywilliamroe, Bagenalstown has advanced stage four metastatic leimyosarcoma cancer, an incurable but not-yet-terminal illness.
Soft-tissue sarcoma cancers are incredibly rare and David’s list of treatments is long and extensive, spreading over almost 19 years. His drug regime is mostly to do with his intestines, nausea and pain management.
“Following extensive intestinal surgery a few years ago, I had significant parts of my gut removed, partly or completely, and what was left was re-engineered to allow me to eat, which has left me reliant on drugs to digest my food and regulate diarrhoea, intestinal cramps and discomfort,” said David.
For years, David has been getting Buscopan Rx on prescription on the GMS/Medical Card scheme and takes approximately 240 Buscopan a month. To his shock, he recently discovered that the drug had been removed from the GMS scheme and will now cost him over €100 a month as an over-the-counter purchase.
“Cancer patients already have huge basic costs we have to cover ourselves for our treatments. I luckily have health insurance, but even still, petrol, parking, food, days off work all add up to hundreds of euros a month during treatment,” said David, who is senior fundraising manager for Goal.
“It’s just not fair that a basic drug I need to be able to eat I now have to pay over €100 a month extra,” he added.
“I’m lucky, I can afford these additional payments. I shouldn't have to, but I can. But there are thousands of patients, not just cancer patients, who rely on drugs like Buscopan for daily comfort and for painkillers for chronic pain relief.
“It’s simply just not good enough that on top of the stress of serious illness, many have to handle the additional stress of costs that should be covered by the state,” said David.
In a statement to , the HSE said: ‘Products are added to the reimbursement list in line with the . Marketing authorisation holders are required to make a formal pricing and reimbursement application to the HSE under the legislation.
‘Whilst the HSE would actively engage with companies regarding the reasons for withdrawing from the reimbursement list and seek to address insofar as it can, the decision lies with the marketing authorisation holder who may for commercial reasons withdraw a product from community drug schemes.
‘The HSE can confirm that the marketing authorisation holder for Buscopan has submitted a discontinuation notification form to the HSE for withdrawal of the product from the reimbursement list. The marketing authorisation holder has stated that Buscopan 10mg (hyoscine butylbromide 56 tablets – dispensing pack) has been withdrawn from the Irish market as the manufacturer is no longer able to supply the product.
‘Applications for reimbursement support of hyoscine butylbromide 10mg tablets will be considered for medical card holders under discretionary hardship arrangements.’
