Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses to the committee. It is evident that we have a difficulty with regard to the cost of medicines, both wholesale and retail, in Ireland. I was disturbed to read in the IMB report that it has established a consultative panel to examine the status of certain medicines as over-the-counter or prescription-only. I did a quick check and discovered that the IMB almost never delists prescription-only medicines and seems to be inactive in that area. Why is the IMB one of the few medicines boards in Europe that never seems to delist medicines from prescription-only to over-the-counter? Is that because of a mindset or a lack of resources, or is it simply something the board never thought of previously? Expensive medicines are a major difficulty for families and for the State itself.

A person must study for between five and seven years to become a pharmacist but apart from being allowed to sell lipstick and nail varnish, they have a very small role in the area of medicine and of dealing with the public. We must examine this area in detail. Pharmacists are a wonderful resource and should be more involved with prescribing medicines, perhaps at a lower grade. A pharmacist could have a role in repeating prescriptions for a recurring non-serious illness, where the original prescription was given by a doctor. Families are in huge difficulty regarding the cost of medicines. The programme for Government contains a commitment that primary care will be free and available to everyone. Meanwhile, every day families are deciding not to go to the doctor, because the visit will result in a huge pharmacy bill followed by another huge bill if the condition does not improve and a further prescription is required. Mr. O'Mahony may say that is anecdotal evidence, but it is happening daily.

The IMB has a role in trying to reduce the cost of medicines.

A problem arises, however, if the board does not regularly review the list of prescription-only medicines, as other medicines boards in Europe do. In that situation, where drugs are not delisted to over-the-counter status on an ongoing basis, we are left with an automatically inflated pricing system. This is an issue which the board is obliged to consider. When do the delegates expect the consultative panel that was established in the past year to begin making recommendations to the board in this regard and when, thereafter, will the board be in a position to begin delisting medicines?

Pharmacists are a wonderful resource and there is a central role for them in the delivery of community health care. In terms of the Government's stated commitment to the establishment of primary care teams and so on, pharmacists are eminently qualified to play a key role and have already invested strongly in communities, towns and villages throughout the country. Their function should be reviewed as part of broader Government policy in regard to the delivery of health care. I understand the Government is engaged in ongoing discussion with the pharmaceutical companies in regard to generic drug substitutions. Given the apparent reluctance, as I have observed, on the part of the IMB to recognise the need to review the status of prescription-only drugs on a regular basis, how confident can we be that the board will engage in regular reviews of developments in regard to interchangeable generic drugs?