Managed Access Protocols (MAPs) impose the eligibility criteria attached to reimbursement support of a medicine, and are part of a number of health technology management initiatives applied by the Irish health service to manage expenditure on medicines.

The MAP criteria are specific for each medicine (and indication), developed based on areas of uncertainty highlighted in the health technology assessment for the medicine, contractual arrangements as negotiated with the marketing authorisation holder, and any other specific directions from the decision maker.

Managed Access Protocols can enable access to high-cost drugs for patient cohorts with greatest unmet need, while providing oversight, governance and budgetary certainty to the payer.