With the recent publication of the Programme for Government (“PFG”), flowing from negotiations between the likely coalition partners returned following recent Ireland’s General Election, we now have a likely roadmap ahead for the life sciences and healthcare sector for the next five years. This piece looks at some of the goals set out and commitments made by the incoming administration. 

A new National Life Sciences Strategy

The Government has a focus on supporting and developing key economic sectors with a targeted approach. The PFG cites pharma and medtech as such a sector and groups it with others (such as financial services) as an area where there is a “strong competitive advantage.” Notably, there is a separate commitment to the development of a new National Life Sciences Strategy to ensure that the sector remains competitive and to ensure the Government develops a coherent and ambitious approach to future opportunities. 

There are many parts of the section in the PFG on “Helping Irish Companies Scale Globally and attracting more inward investment” which will be relevant to the life sciences industry, including close work with IDA Ireland. One point that jumps out under this section is the promise to support intellectual property rights for medicines to drive innovation and competitiveness. 

Access to new medicines and treatments

With a broad pledge of accessible, affordable and high quality healthcare for all, the PFG states that the new Government will be committed to ensuring that patients can access new innovative medicines and new treatments “as quickly as possible.” There are a number of assurances here which will be of interest to all stakeholders. These include a promise to increase the number of clinical trials; a commitment to a review of the drugs reimbursement process (as well as a stated aim to investigate new methods for earlier reimbursement of certain treatments, to include early access schemes for rare diseases) and an assurance of working towards a more co-ordinated approach at a European level.  

There is a stand alone commitment to implementation of the Mazars Review, published in February 2023 which contained recommendations – these have since been worked through by an implementation group set up by the then Minister for Health and which have gone through several rounds of stakeholder consultation. 

Innovation and digital transformation in health

In an ever evolving space, in particular with the EU’s Regulation on a European Health Data Space due to soon be published in the Official Journal and enter into force shortly after, it is not surprising to see promises such as the continuation of work towards the full digitisation of Irish healthcare records and information systems; the launch of a National Patient App, giving patients easier access to their health information and the establishment of a national system for electronic prescribing. 

There is also a commitment to develop an AI in Health Strategy. 

Patient Safety

There are a number of notable points in the PFG when it comes to patient safety. A selection include the prioritisation of a court supervised mediation-based process for managing neonatal brain injury medical negligence cases; the consideration of the establishment of a dedicated medical negligence court and implementation of the recommendations arising from the Report on Septicaemia, Safety and Escalation protocols in all hospitals, which was carried out by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke and published last year. 

What happens next?

With the PFG having been ratified by the party membership of the parties of the two main coalition partners and official formation of the new Government set to take place, the stage is now set for the work to begin on delivering the policy and legislation required to deliver on these aims. There will be lots to monitor during this Government’s term of office. 

For more information, please contact our Life Sciences Group or Healthcare Group