Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will return to a question we considered earlier. The Irish Pharmacy Union has sent us a communication asking us to raise this matter with the Minister. All sorts of circumstances could present themselves if the "do not substitute" notation is not in the handwriting of the prescribing GP. Somebody could devise a brand. Any number of other situations might present. We were invited to ask the Minister to outline what a pharmacist is supposed to do when presented with a prescription that says "do not substitute" in a form other than the handwriting of the prescribing GP. Should the pharmacist send the patient back to the GP if he or she questions the veracity of the message? If the pharmacist ensures the patient's needs are met, can the Minister ensure he or she will not be left open to sanctions from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland? It is understandable that such questions are arising in the pharmacy sector. Perhaps the Minister of State can respond to them.