Medication allowed/disallowed on Drugs Payment Scheme

Frigga_92

Does anybody know where one could find an up-to-date list of all medication allowed/disallowed under the Drugs Payment Scheme?

I have the misfortune of having to pay out a huge amount on medication every month and without the DPS I wouldn't be able to afford all of the medication I need. However, the last time I was in the chemist (not my usual chemist) there was a question about one of my more expensive prescription items and whether it was covered under the scheme. I can't actually be without this particular item so if the pharmacist had told me it wasn't covered I would have had to pay the €80 myself anyway, which would have left me seriously out of pocket. The pharmacist told me that she would "let it go this once" but that she would be checking with the HSE. As this is a chemist that I have to use every now and then because of it's close proximity to where I work, I would like to check this out myself but can't find anything online. Is there a list available or do I have to request it from somewhere?

Thanks.

echo beach

On the website http://www.pcrs.ie/ there is a list of reimbursable medicines.
Some other medicines are allowed but only under a special 'protocol' where they may be approved if you meet certain conditions, e.g there isn't a suitable alternative on the list you could use.
My guess is that the pharmacy where you got it first obtained approval but another pharmacy has no way of knowing this and has to check directly with the HSE. You can only do this during office hours, so not at weekends, and it may take some time to get the right person and for them to come back with an answer.
If the pharmacist said she was going to check it out you should contact her again after a couple of days to find out what the HSE said.