Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
1071. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the amount and percentage of the amount spent on medicines by the State that related to generic medicines; his plans to increase the use of generics in Ireland; the saving achieved in generics in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14958/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1074. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the specific targets set out by his Department for increasing the use of generic medicines within the medicines market in Ireland; the extent to which Ireland compares to other European Union countries in the use of generic medicines; the estimated additional saving envisaged in 2022 by increased use of generic medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14961/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1074 together.
The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 permits community pharmacists to dispense generic medicines where a brand name medicine has been prescribed, provided they have been designated as interchangeable by the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
Reference pricing means a single reimbursement price, or reference price, for a group of interchangeable medicines. This is the maximum price that the HSE will pay community pharmacies for all medicines in this group, regardless of the individual medicines’ prices.
While my Department does not have specific targets in relation to the usage of generics in the health service, it is fully supportive of domestic policies that maximise efficiency in our medicines usage. The HSE is actively engaged in implementing measures to ensure improve cost-effectiveness in medicines usage, including those under the Acute Hospitals Drugs Management Programme (AHDMP), within the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) and under the Medicines Management Programme (MMP) which seeks to enhance evidence-based and cost-effective prescribing in Ireland.
My Department does not collate data on medicine usage in other European Union member states.
I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy in relation to the statistical information sought.
