A TOTAL OF 1,621 women have been approved for reimbursement for the cost of a drug that helps with severe sickness during pregnancy.

The drug, known as Cariban, was previously unavailable on the drugs payment scheme or medical card.

A major campaign women impacted by severe vomiting – known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum or HG – called for the State to reimburse expenses for Cariban, which can cost up to €3,000 over the course of a pregnancy. 

HG can profoundly debilitate those who suffer with it. While a majority of women experience regular morning sickness – which can actually occur at any time of the day – during pregnancy, HG is a lot more serious and can often mean multiple hospitalisations.

Budget 2023 set out that funding of €1.3 million would be set aside to facilitate reimbursement of the drug, with women told they could avail of the drug free-of-charge  from January 2023. 

However, since the roll out of the scheme, it has been widely criticised by women suffering from the illness, GPs, consultant obstetricians and pharmacists.

Campaigners have queried the rationale behind requiring a consultant having to initially provide the prescription to women.

Since the onset of complaints when the new system opened in January, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has initiated a review into the scheme to see if issues could be overcome.

In response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats Jennifer Whitmore, the minister said the HSE have advised that this review will be completed by July 2023.

“On the recognition that women suffering hyperemesis gravidarum may need access to Cariban before their first consultation with their specialist/obstetrician, and in light of the fact that GPs prescribe Cariban to private patients without an initial prescription from a specialist, I have asked the HSE to review the current arrangement and report back to me,” said Donnelly.

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The Department will then consider the findings of the review, he said. 

As of 31 May 2023, expenditure on the reimbursement arrangement for Cariban is around €230,000, said the minister.

The number of women approved for the product at that time was 1,376. The full cost associated with these approvals will depend on the dosage prescribed and the length of use, he added. 

“The current process for accessing Cariban through the drug payment scheme is not fit for purpose and means that there are still significant barriers to women getting this much-needed medication.

“Whilst it’s welcome that the HSE will finalise their review shortly, it is vital that solutions are found to ensure that women who need this medication can access it easily, cheaply and in early pregnancy when they first need it. Nothing less will be acceptable,” Whitmore told The Journal.