As part of new initiatives, the HSE plans to provide free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to all those who engage with HSE stop smoking services for a quit attempt, regardless of medical card status. To that end a Preliminary Market Soundings (PMC) exercise has been published to scope the specifications for this tender and is now available on the EU etenders website here. The closing date is 24 August.
The IPU are of the view that provision of free NRT should be structured in such a way that patients can attend their local community pharmacy, receive advice and support on the correct and safe use of the medication, and be provided with free NRT funded under a structured national scheme. We continue to engage with the HSE in relation to this
