Speaking on this today, the Fianna Fáil T.D. for Tipperary said: “I have been working with a young 14-year-old girl and her family for a long time now in relation to her gaining access to this life-changing medication, Epidiolex. Her father has previously appeared on media, where he gave a heart-breaking description of his daughter’s situation and how it is being made so much worse due to HSE inaction and bureaucracy.
“This young girl has an aggressive form of cancer and as a result, also suffers from drop seizures. As a result of the cancer, she has had to have one of her legs amputated. She cannot use her prosthetic leg until her seizures are under control. She can have over half a dozen seizures a day. Best medical advice is telling us that if she is given access to Epidiolex – this cannabis-based drug – she has the best chance of getting these seizures under control.
“I have raised the reimbursement of Epidiolex numerous times in this House. I have put down Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Health half a dozen times. I have written directly to the Minister for Health on this.
“Every single time this issue is raised, the HSE comes back with the same standard, bureaucratic, kick-the-can-down-the-road answer.
“Fob-off after fob-off by those who have the ability to make the decision in the HSE that would completely transform a young girl’s and her family’s lives. It is an infuriating and sickening situation.
“Taoiseach, I am calling for the HSE to be directed to make a decision on the reimbursement of Epidiolex immediately. They cannot be allowed delay any longer”, Cahill concluded.
