Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is a common list of reimbursable medicines for the general medical services and drug payment schemes, which is reviewed and amended monthly as new products become available and deletions are notified. The product referred to by the Deputy has not been deleted from the list.

An agreement is in place between the Department of Health and Children, the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, IPHA, and the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Ireland, APMI, which sets out the supply terms and prices of medicines supplied to the health services. The agreement covers all reimbursable prescription medicines in the general medical services and community drug schemes, and all medicines supplied to hospitals and the Health Service Executive. A price freeze is in place in regard to prices charged for products supplied under the terms of the agreement.

The original manufacturers of the product referred to by the Deputy divested ownership of the product to another company which subsequently increased the price of the product without prior consultation with my Department and in breach of the above agreement.

Negotiations are currently taking place with the company concerned with a view to reaching a satisfactory conclusion. In the meantime, people with a medical card who are experiencing financial difficulty in obtaining this medicine should contact the local area of the Health Service Executive.