AXIS Hosts Ireland’s First Ever Patient Access Conference
AXIS Consulting was proud to host Ireland’s First Ever Patient Access Conference on Thursday, February 23rd, in the Royal College of Physicians Ireland, Dublin 2. The fully booked event heard from some of the leading lights in the Irish healthcare system and it is hoped will act as a catalyst to unite all stakeholders, with a view to enhancing access to new and innovative medicines for patients in Ireland.
Speaking at the conference, Brenda Dooley, Founder and Chief Executive of AXIS Consulting, highlighted that medicines requiring a full health technology assessment (HTA), can take up to 2.6 years to secure funding in Ireland – significantly longer than in neighbouring countries. Continuing, she noted that the key to improving timelines to access is through building a greater understanding and meaningful collaboration between all the various stakeholders, to ensure a cohesive approach is adopted to smooth the pathway for access to medicines.
Priscilla Lynch (MC) presided over a stellar line-up of speakers and panellists featured at the conference which included
- Professor Luke O’Neill, School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin
- Ellen McGrath, Head of Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit, HSE
- Dr Lesley Tilson, Deputy Head, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics
- Dermot Twomey, President, Irish Pharmacy Union
- Professor Michael Barry, National Clinical Lead, HSE’s Medicines Management Programme
- Professor Áine Carroll, Chairperson, HSE Drugs Board
- Dr Dearbhaile Collins, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Cork University Hospital
- Des Lucey, Head of Market Access, GSK
- Dr Finnuala Lonsdale, Director Human Products Authorisation & Registration – HPRA
- Dr Jerome Coffey, Chairperson, Rare Disease Medicinal Product Technical Review Committee
- AnneMarie De Frein, Chief Pharmacist, National Cancer Control Programme
- Eibhlín Mulroe, Chief Executive, Cancer Trials Ireland
Importantly, the patient voice remained at the heart of the conference, with delegates hearing directly from panel contributors Rachel Morrogh, Irish Cancer Society; Philip Watt, Cystic Fibrosis Ireland; and David McMahon, Chairperson of the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science, and Industry (IPPOSI) as the theme of The Patient Voice was explored. Other panel themes on the day included Early Exposure to New Medicines and Accessing Novel Medicines.
AXIS was delighted that this event received significant media coverage for the inaugural event with its aim to encourage meaningful collaboration between all the key stakeholders involved in patient access to medicines in Ireland. Read the report on the AXIS Patient Access Conference by Fergal Bowers, Health Correspondent, RTE News. Additionally, you can watch the RTE news report below.
AXIS thanks all who attended the Patient Access Conference as well as the fantastic speakers and panellists who spoke at the event. See below photos from the event.
