Medication | Prescriptions & Schemes
Q. How can I check if my medication is available in Ireland?
Most medications are available in Ireland and can be prescribed by a general practitioner within the student health service or a community GP. This should enable you to continue your treatment as necessary.
However, there are some exceptions as not all medications that are available in your own country are licensed for use here. It is very important to check this before you make the decision to travel. If your medication is not available in Ireland, you should have a discussion with your prescribing doctor before you travel. You may want to organise to bring your medication with you for the duration of your stay. You will need your original prescription and in some cases, for restricted medications, you will need a letter or medical certificate from your prescribing doctor explaining why you need this medication. It is essential that you bring a sufficient supply with you and you pack the medication in its original packaging in your hand luggage.
If your current medication is unlicensed in Ireland an alternative option may be offered by a general practitioner here in Ireland if it is clinically indicated.
If you cannot find the answers you need in our medications list or our FAQs, you can email the UCD Pharmacy at global@procarepharmacy.ie to enquire about medication costs and availability.
We have highlighted some common medications below that fall into the hospital consultant only prescribed category in Ireland
1. Roaccutane for the treatment of Acne
This must be prescribed by a hospital consultant dermatologist and requires referral for supervision.
2. Immune Modulators
This group of drugs are used to treat complex medical conditions including but not limited to Multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. These drugs are hospital consultant prescribed and referral for hospital treatment will be necessary. If you have a significant medical condition such as one of these mentioned, it is essential that you discuss your condition with your own specialist including the implications of travelling abroad to study to ensure optimum care.
3. Allergy injections
Allergy injections are only given in a hospital setting and require referral to an allergy hospital consultant.
They cannot be administered in the Student Health Service.
4. Transgender medication
Medication for Gender Reassignment must be prescribed under hospital consultant endocrinologist supervision in Ireland.
Students requesting treatment in UCD are generally referred to the National Gender Service.
This is based at St Columcille's Hospital in Dublin and has a long waiting time for patients to be seen
If available, providing information regarding your previous diagnosis and treatment plan from your own treating physician may facilitate an earlier appointment. Please be aware that some treatments that may be used quite extensively abroad are unlicensed and therefore cannot be prescribed or administered in Ireland.
If possible, please bring sufficient medication from your home country to cover your stay in Ireland or to last until you have been seen by the National Gender service.
5. Drugs used for treating ADD/ADHD.
If you have a diagnosis of ADHD / ADD from a specialist abroad, please bring your documentation confirming the diagnosis and treatment plan from your treating physician with you to Ireland.
Treatment in Ireland must be under the supervision of a hospital consultant psychiatrist and so referral is necessary, particularly as some medications used abroad are un-licensed here. It may be some time before you are seen and so there is a potential for disruption of your regular treatment schedule.
If you are in UCD studying for a short period of time, it can be helpful to bring enough supply of medication from your home country to last until you return home.
Appointments for initial assessment and diagnosis of ADHD/ ADD are currently very limited.
6. Xolair ( Omalizumab)
Students taking Xolair (Omalizumab) may not be able to continue this treatment while here. It would be advisable that students complete their treatment in their home country before travelling to Ireland to start their studies.
Q. Can I avail of the Drugs Payment scheme to cover the costs of my medications?
Anyone who is an ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland can apply for the Drugs Payment Scheme.
Ordinary resident means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live in Ireland for at least one year. However, eligibility is also based on the type of immigration stamp you hold. Most students from outside the EU/EEA hold a stamp 2 or 2A permission and cannot receive any benefits or use publicly funded services (e.g. public hospitals) unless you have an entitlement via other means. Please check your immigration stamp and the DPS website for further details.
Please see the following link for information on the Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme
Q. I need regular infusions for my medical condition. Can I continue these when I come to study in Ireland, can you advise?
We are not equipped here in the Student Health Service to deliver this type of treatment as it requires hospital supervision. Patients receive infusions for different medical reasons. An appointment will be needed with a specialist in the relevant clinical speciality to facilitate your treatment. Ideally, this should be set up well in advance of travel, particularly if the treatment required is scheduled soon after your arrival in Ireland.
These treatments are carried out in both public and private hospitals. Patients who have not already made arrangements will be referred to either our local public or private hospital as requested. This may cause an unavoidable delay.
It is important for the student to confirm BEFORE TRAVEL that they have adequate health insurance cover for this specific treatment as not all insurance policies will provide adequate cover and the student may be exposed to significant costs.
Note: A treating doctor in the home country can contact their counterpart here in Dublin to facilitate your ongoing treatment.
Q. What health insurance options are available for non-EU/EEA students studying at UCD?
Please see this section of the UCD Global website for further information about health insurance, including details of a dedicated group scheme for UCD students coming to study at UCD for one year or more.