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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Dec 2002

Vol. 558 No. 5

Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

306 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children the Government's policy in regard to generic prescribing in the GMS and specifically in relation to the drugs payment scheme in view of recent comments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25094/02]

Since 1 January 1993 general practitioners have been allocated an annual target budget for expenditure on drugs for their GMS patients. This scheme is called the indicative drug target saving scheme. Targets are determined by national norms and form part of an agreement between my Department and the Irish Medical Organisation.

In an attempt to limit the escalation of the annual costs of GMS drugs, general practitioners participating in the scheme are permitted to accrue savings under this scheme which can then be used to fund general practice developments at their practice premises for the benefit of their patients. Applications for funds from this scheme must be formally approved by the local health board in advance of payment by the GMS payments board.

A review of the scheme undertaken by Professor Michael Murphy, which was published in July 1997 found that there were changes in prescribing behaviour as a result of the scheme. Some doctors made savings through enhanced prescribing of generic medications and there were no discernible negative effects on the overall quality of prescribing.
Many of the new drugs are patent protected so that generic substitution is not possible. The total number of items prescribed under the GMSS in 2001 was 25,656,314. The total number of generic items prescribed under the GMSS was 5,363,002 or 20.90%. The total number of items prescribed under the drugs payment scheme is 8,599,098. The total number of generic items prescribed under the DPS is 986,136 or 11.47%.
The results of a study carried out by the national centre for pharmaeconomics, at my Department's request, indicate that of the balance of items prescribed under the DPS, generic substitution was only possible for approximately 18%.
My Department is currently examining policy options in relation to the increased use of generic medicines in the community drugs schemes.
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