OACS Ireland Annual Report 2021

Chairs Opening Remarks

2021 was another important year as we sought to progress the Inquiry into the historical licensing and use of sodium valproate (Epilim) in Ireland which was promised by the Minister for Health in November 2020. At the time we very much welcomed his commitment. We responded quickly to a request by his officials in the Department of Health to provide our initial thoughts on Terms of Reference. However, it took until the late summer of the year before we received a response to engage in negotiations with the department. Nevertheless, with our partners, Epilepsy Ireland, we made good progress in agreeing potential terms of reference with departmental officials. However, as we write we still have not received terms of reference which we find acceptable and as such the Ministers commitment to a ‘speedy and fair’ inquiry remains to be achieved. See link to report:

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