Offaly Dáil candidate welcomes plan for free hormone replacement therapy
A Fianna Fáil general election candidate in Offaly has welcomed Government plans to introduce free hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication for women experiencing symptoms of the menopause.
Cllr Claire Murray, who is a nurse in a local GP practice, said the planned roll-out of the free medication from January would be "transformative".
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly received cabinet approval yesterday (Tuesday) for legislation designed to ensure that women experiencing menopause symptoms no longer have to pay for their hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication.
"This is a hugely positive move by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. This legislation will result in a publicy funded scheme for HRT being introduced in less than three months' time," said Cllr Murray.
“Women's health is a strong priority of mine. As a nurse in a local GP practice in Rhode, I deal with a lot of women who are suffering very badly from menopause symptoms.
"This measure will be transformative. It will cover the cost of HRT medication, including patches for all women who need it.
"Not all women need HRT but well over 500,000 women are aged between 45-64, which is when women can be prescribed HRT by their doctors. This will really help women."
She went on to say that the measure could save women on average between €360 and €840 per annum.
"Free HRT follows on from Minister Donnelly launching the country’s first scheme enabling access to publicly-funded assisted human reproduction, including IVF," said Cllr Murray.
"The Minister also launched a free contraception scheme and has expanded it to more and more age groups, opened the country’s first specialist publicly funded menopause clinic, and allocated funding to open a further five clinics, and has funded a large network of same day see-and-treat gynaecology clinics as well as specialist endometriosis centres and fertility hubs.
"This demonstrates Fianna Fáil’s commitment in Government to women's health," she concluded.