Potentially life-changing treatment one step closer for people struggling with moderate-to-severe atopic eczema
The HSE has advised that the HSE Drugs Group, the body which decides whether or not the Irish government will fund a new medicine through the public health system, supported reimbursement of dupilumab for a defined subgroup of the full licensed indication, at their January 2021 meeting. Reimbursement will make it possible for hospital-based consultants to prescribe dupilumab to suitable patients.
News of this latest development, which was revealed in parliamentary questions arising from the ISF’s recent Take Action campaign, will be very welcome to people living with or caring for someone living with severe eczema. The campaign has been highlighting the inequality of access to dupilumab on a political level through the charity’s advodacy work.
What now for patients waiting for dupilumab?
The Drugs Group recommendation now goes on for consideration by the HSE’s Executive Management Team (EMT). They will consider the recommendation before making a final decision on whether dupilumab will be approved for reimbursement.
The ISF has been working to raise awareness and to this potentially life-changing treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic eczema in adult patients, which has been under assessment since November 2018.
David McMahon, Chief Executive, ISF, commented, “While there is still no indication of when exactly dupilumab can be accessed by Irish patients, the recent HSE Drugs Group development is a significant milestone on the road to a firm date of reimbursement. The ISF will continue to monitor developments closely and provide the eczema community with regular updates on the reimbursement process.”
Take Action campaign
In November 2020, the ISF launched the ‘Take Action’ page on our website which enabled people, living with or caring for someone with eczema, to write to their local TD requesting their help securing reimbursement for dupilumab.
“The response from the eczema community was overwhelming, with hundreds of you supporting the campaign by sharing your own stories and experiences with your local representatives. The ISF would like to thank all those who took the time to highlight this issue and support those struggling to manage severe eczema in Ireland”, said Paul Herriott, ISF patient advocate.
The ISF would also like to thank the many people who contacted TDs and Ministers to request that dupilumab be raised with the Minister for Health, Department of Health and the HSE.
To find out more about ISF advocacy click here. If you have questions about dupilumab or this campaign please e-mail us at info@irishskin.ie
You can also monitor the progress on the HSE’s assessment of dupilumab by following this link: http://www.ncpe.ie/drugs/dupilumab-dupixent/
- Related: Take Action: treatment for severe eczema still not available in Ireland
- Related: Wonder Drug that’s Been Denied to Eczema Sufferers
- Related: Call for Access to Game-Changing Eczema Treatment on RTÉ’s Ray D’Arcy Show
This webpage and campaign is an independent advocacy initiative of the Irish Skin Foundation, it has been not supported or sponsored by Foundation Partners or corporate donations.
For more information about atopic dermatitis and eczema, visit our main eczema page here. If you need help or guidance about managing your eczema, contact the ISF Helpline here.
