Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019
451. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the amount of savings delivered over the entire course of the framework agreement with industry; the projected savings for 2020; if these projected savings will be reinvested into the drugs budget for 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42175/19]
View answerThe 2016 Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines between the State and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), is expected to deliver approximately €600 million in savings from IPHA companies over the four year lifetime of the Agreement and €150 million in savings from non-IPHA companies.
Between 2016 and 2018 the agreement created €354 million in savings. The 2019 forecast savings from the Agreement are €252m with the 2020 forecast savings being €262m. Where the agreement remains in place for the entirety of 2020, the forecasted savings next year is estimated to be in the region of €262 million.
It is the responsibility of the HSE to manage the entire budget and prepare and implement the National Service Plan which must, under legislation, set out the type and volume of health and personal social services, to be provided during the year in question within the funding allocated. The objective of the HSE is to determine what healthcare services, products, and interventions would best maximise health gain for patients and the public within the resources available to them.
