the Minister for Health if he will give a breakdown of the public spending on drugs indicating the most important areas of spending by category of drug.
Written Answers. - Drugs Expenditure.
55.
The only area of public spending on drugs for which breakdown by therapeutic classification is available is the general medical services scheme. The following figures are taken from the GMS (Payments) Board Annual Report, 1989, Table 24.
|
Therapeutic Classification |
Ingredient Cost |
|
£ |
|
|
Central Nervous System |
20,809,753 |
|
Antonomic Nervous System |
10,418,722 |
|
Cardiovascular Circulatory System |
18,916,373 |
|
Anti-infectives |
9,801,396 |
|
Hormones |
8,653,808 |
|
Metabolism, Nutrition and Electrolyte Balance |
7,241,295 |
|
Haemopoietic System |
1,673,166 |
|
Appliances |
2,242,572 |
|
Miscellaneous |
3,777,934 |
|
Total |
83,535,018 |
Richard Bruton
Ceist:56 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated expenditure on drugs annually expended from (a) public funds and (b) private spending.
The estimated cost of drugs to the public health service is approximately £150 million per annum. This includes the cost of the recoupment of expenditure to persons who claim the excess amount over £32 per month under the drugs refund scheme. It does not, of course, include private expenditure by individuals where the monthly cost is less than £32 or the cost borne by individuals who do not avail of the drugs refund scheme.