Bernard Allen
Question:226 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children when a new agreement between his Department and an organisation (details supplied) regarding the cost and distribution of drugs will be reached. [14959/01]
Written Answers. - Cost and Distribution of Drugs.
The price of drugs and medicines (ex manufacture) in Ireland has been subject to control since 1972 through the mechanism of formal multi-annual agreements with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association or IPHA, formerly the Federation of Irish Chemical Industries or FICI, which provides that the maximum price to the wholesaler of any new item of medicine introduced to the market and covered by the agreement shall not, on the date of notification, exceed the currency adjusted UK wholesale price or the average of a basket of EU countries, whichever is the lower. A price freeze is also in place in regard to the prices charged for existing products. The current agreement expires in mid 2002. The negotiation process to extend the present agreement is currently under way between my Department and IPHA. It is not possible to say when the process will be completed.