asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the hazards to patients of the present dispensing practices in public health dispensaries; and what action he can take in this matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Health Dispensing.
6.
I do not accept that the dispensing practices followed generally in dispensaries are a hazard to patients. I have seen no evidence which would justify the Deputy's generalised allegation and the fact that no serious incident has been reported to my Department in relation to any of the 900,000 people eligible for the supply of free medicine should be enough to indicate that these practices are, on the whole, satisfactory. There is certainly no information available to me which would justify making any major alterations in a system which will, in any event, be superseded next year by a scheme providing for the supply of drugs through retail chemists.
Is the Minister aware that unmarked tablets are available in public health dispensaries in containers which are badly labelled and dispensed in pill boxes the lids of which can be easily transposed with danger to the patient?
The Deputy is, no doubt, referring to an investigation by the Irish Medical Times. The moment I saw this I asked to have communication between the Department and the health authorities concerned. It would take me too long to read the report but, in general, the Dublin Health Authority consider the allegations unfounded; they have had no complaints and I can assure the Deputy that had the medical profession, which is a responsible and dedicated profession, to deal with any kind of accident arising from such circumstances as the Deputy alleges I should have heard all about it.
It was I who started the investigation in the Irish Medical Times because I came across patients who were taking the wrong tablets as a result of the dispensing practice. I found also that there was no referring back to any prescription register in local dispensaries. I believe this poses a hazard to patients and, in view of the Minister's unsatisfactory reply, I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.