asked the Minister for Health if he intends to restore antacids to the list of medicines which may be prescribed by doctors in the GMS.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prescription Medicines.
8.
In accordance with the decision made in October 1982 to remove from the GMS items which could be purchased without a prescription and at little cost to the consumer, antacids were deleted from the list of available items.
Where a patient is prescribed an antacid and its purchase would entail hardship he may apply to the local health board for assistance towards the cost of purchase.
The question of restoring these items does not arise at present. However, it is a matter which is kept under review with particular reference to the possibility of more potent and expensive alternatives being prescribed. This would not be in the best interests of the patient.
Will the Minister accept that all antacids were not removed from the GMS prescribing list in October 1982 and that some of them were not removed until he took office? Will the Minister accept that in the last year in which antacids were used the cost to the GMS was about £447,000 while the most commonly prescribed drug now for stomach ailments, Tagamet, cost £1.8 million in the last year for which figures are available? Is the Minister not concerned that there may be drugs that are more potent being used now in place of antacids? Is the Minister aware that many people who need antacids are not in a position to pay for them and that it is not practicable for them to apply to their health board for an allowance in lieu? Will the Minister tell me how many cases in each health board area are receiving antacids or an allowance for antacids from the boards?
We must generally accept that antacids are generally a cheap product in so far as anything is cheap in this area. They are available without a doctor's prescription. Therefore, they were excluded from the GMS list in October 1982. I am aware that concern has been expressed by the Irish Pharmaceutical Union at the prescribing of new products which are available only on prescription in substitution for the excluded antacids but I do not think a strong case has been made to change the position. I do not have information on the amount spent on alternatives in the GMS. I hold the view that the restoration of antacids into the GMS would be very costly. There have been new significant breakthroughs in terms of usage. I do not have the other detailed information which the Deputy requires but I will get an estimate from the GMS payment board and forward it to the Deputy.
When the Minister states that antacids are relatively cheap, is he satisfied that an old age pensioner or a widow should have to pay £3 per week for an antacid mixture? Does he not consider that that is a big drain on their small resources? Could the Minister supply the number of cases in each health board area who are receiving antacids from the health boards because of their inability to pay?
I do not have the reply to the third question asked by the Deputy, but if a pensioner is suffering serious hardship in relation to the purchase of antacids which do not require a doctor's prescription and are commonly available over the counter, I should be prepared to make individual representations to the health boards. However, we do not get complaints from doctors or their patients in regard to this matter.
If a person has no income apart from an old age pension or a social welfare allowance, surely the Minister accepts that it must create hardship to spend £3 per week on an antacid?
Depending on individual expenditure requirements of the old age pensioner, rent and other costs, each CEO of the health boards has authority to review the situation in relation to a non-prescription item.
It is a necessary item.
Yes, it can be necessary for many people. But putting it under the general medical services scheme for 40 per cent of the population is reminiscent of the days when Dettol, shampoos and so on were available and——
There is no comparision between Dettol and antacids.
——we paid out millions of pounds.