Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:448. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11392/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 May 2016
Ceisteanna (448)
Freagraí scríofa
The Department of Health, the HSE, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of Government Procurement entered negotiations with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) in recent months, with a view to securing an agreement that:
- significantly reduced the price of medicines to the Irish taxpayer;
- reduced the growth in the drugs and medicines bill to an affordable level; and, as result,
- put the HSE in a position to invest in new and innovative medicines over the next four years.
My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and I formally briefed Government on the position with regard to these negotiations, in particular that the State team had concluded that the potential of the current negotiation process had been exhausted and that the value of the best offer of the IPHA fell substantially short of what would satisfy the State's strategic requirements.
In the absence of an agreement with IPHA, the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 is available to the HSE to determine the reimbursement prices paid.