‘ Stop stalling’ on CF drug Minister told by MacSharry

FIANNA Fáil TD Marc MacSharry says the Health Minister needs to stop stalling and ensure that Orkambi is made available to CF sufferers.

Deputy MacSharry says he’s appalled by Minister Simon Harris’ laid back approach to securing a deal with the company Vertex and has called on him to act without delay.

“CF sufferers and their families are extremely frustrated by the lack of progress on Orkambi. It’s more than 17 months since I first raised this issue and Orkambi has still not been made available.

“At the beginning of March Minister Harris claimed that a deal would be struck within weeks. It’s almost a month later and the Minister’s stony silence says it all. I have been in constant contact with Vertex, the makers of Orkambi, who say they are perplexed by the lack of correspondence or feedback from the Minister. In fact, they haven’t heard anything from Minister Harris, the HSE or the Department of Health since the 3rd February. I find it difficult to understand how the Minister plans to secure a deal “within weeks” when he hasn’t been in contact with the company in months. The deal that is currently on the table includes Orkambi, Kalidyco and a new breakthrough drug Tezacaftor/ Ivacaftor, which have all proven effective in people suffering from CF. This was proposed by Vertex in early February but Minister Harris has still not signed up to it.”