The Marie Keating Foundation is calling on the Government to urgently address the inequities in cancer care, particularly the unequal access to innovative cancer medicines between public and private patients. With cancer diagnoses expected to rise dramatically in the coming decades, the Foundation’s Pre-Budget 2025 submission highlights the need for comprehensive reforms in how Ireland funds cancer treatments and ensures equal access for all patients, regardless of income or socio-economic status.

Currently, Ireland ranks 28th out of 37 European countries in terms of how quickly new cancer treatments become accessible to patients. It takes an average of 673 days from European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval before these medicines are made available to Irish public patients, compared to much shorter timelines in other European countries. As of June 2023, all three of the main private health insurance providers in the country now give access to innovative new cancer drugs from the date of approval by the EMA, whereas public patients still face lengthy delays before these treatments become available.

In its Pre-Budget 2025 submission, the Marie Keating Foundation is calling on the Government to reform the reimbursement process for new cancer treatments and to ensure equitable access to innovative medicines. From 2019 to 2022, only 47 out of 167 new EMA-approved medicines were reimbursed in Ireland, compared to an average of 72 across Western Europe. This puts Irish cancer patients at a severe disadvantage.

Liz Yeates, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation said: “These delays are unacceptable and have a devastating impact on public patients who may not have the financial means to access these treatments privately. We are urging the Government to act quickly in Budget 2025 to reform this process, ensuring that all patients, regardless of their socio-economic background, have equal access to the latest cancer medicines.”

Addressing Inequity in Cancer Care

The Foundation is also urging the Government to address the broader disparities in cancer care. People in disadvantaged areas are 28% more likely to die from cancer than those in less deprived regions. Marginalised groups, including those from low socio-economic backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and individuals with low health literacy, face higher barriers to accessing timely diagnosis and treatment, further exacerbating these disparities.

The Foundation’s Pre-Budget submission includes the following key Budget Asks:

• Reform the Medicine Reimbursement Process: Streamline the system for assessing and reimbursing new cancer medicines to keep pace with innovations in cancer care. Swift and equitable access to treatments must be prioritised for public patients.
• Introduce an Early Access/Conditional Access Scheme: Develop a programme that allows public patients access to innovative oncology treatments early, reducing the gap between public and private healthcare.
• Increase Budget for New Medicines: Ringfence funds for the reimbursement of new cancer treatments in upcoming budgets, ensuring that Irish public patients have timely access to the most effective therapies.

Read the Pre-Budget Submission Marie Keating Here

The Marie Keating Foundation is also calling for multi annual funding for the National Cancer Strategy, with the charity pointing out that dedicated funding had been delivered in only two of the last seven budgets.

The charity is also calling for additional funding to expand cancer screening and diagnostic services, particularly for marginalised communities. People in these groups are at higher risk of late-stage cancer diagnoses due to a lack of awareness of symptoms, reduced access to healthcare services, and lower screening uptake rates.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate, but unfortunately, access to care often does. We need the Government to prioritise funding for early detection and diagnosis, especially in more deprived areas,” CEO Liz Yeates continued.

The Foundation has highlighted the need for:

• Commit to Multi-Annual Funding of the National Cancer Strategy: An additional €20 million in 2025 in recurrent funding and in subsequent budgets for the National Cancer Strategy to allow for long-term planning and development of services.
• Funding for Diagnostic Services: Investment in diagnostic infrastructure and healthcare personnel to reduce waiting times and ensure timely access to diagnostics, especially in regions where resources are currently limited.

The Marie Keating Foundation urges the Government to make cancer care a priority in Budget 2025, ensuring that every patient in Ireland, regardless of income or socio-economic status, has access to the best possible care and treatment.

“Cancer diagnoses are set to rise, and without urgent action, the disparity between public and private patients will continue to grow, leaving many vulnerable patients without the care they need.

“By reforming the reimbursement process and making cancer medicines more accessible, we can save lives and reduce the burden on our healthcare system. We are calling on the Government to take decisive action in Budget 2025 to address these inequalities,” added CEO Liz Yeates.

Read the Pre-Budget Submission Marie Keating Here