The Health Service Executive has said there has been no withdrawal of cover for the pain relief patch Versatis (Lidocaine) for people with a medical card or the Drug Payments Scheme.
HSE Director General Tony O'Brien told the Oireachtas Health Committee that since last September, there had been a second level of approval introduced for GPs who wish to continue prescribing the drug after three months.
Versatis is licensed for the treatment of pain associated with post-herpatic neuralgia.
Sinn Féin Senator Rose Conway-Walsh said she was concerned about cases where patients and doctors appeared to have difficulty getting the patch prescribed since December.
She said she was baffled as to why it was withdrawn.
She said any savings the HSE was looking to achieve on the annual €30m cost for the drug would be far outweighed by the cost of patients having to move to other medicines, such as anti-depressants and painkillers.
Mr O'Brien said GPs were notified that they had to register new patients online if they wished to seek approval from the HSE's Medicines Management Programme to prescribe the drug.
Continued prescribing after three months has also to be approved.
Mr O'Brien said that the change was introduced due to the drug being inappropriately prescribed by condition and duration.
He did not have figures on the number of refusals for continued prescribing by the Medicines Management Programme.
A number of committee members asked if GPs were aware of the changes as this did not appear to be the system operating on the ground.
Minister for Health Simon Harris said that there was a need for clarity about the system.
Mr O'Brien has promised to send members of the Joint Committee on Health a briefing note on the issue.
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