Ms Sandra Gannon:

As all of us on this side of the room have mentioned, my remark was in the context of the increased volumes and the fact that patients were living longer and consuming more medicines. Speaking from the perspective of Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland and in the context of innovation, the State must realise patients demand that we have access to the most innovative treatments and therapies. In one sense, generics afford the State some room for budgetary manoeuvre in paying for such treatments and therapies. However, it must be remembered that the population is continually ageing, living longer and developing increasing numbers of chronic diseases.

It is certain that the State will need to pay more for medicine usage in the future if patients are to be allowed to access all of the new, targeted therapies that are coming down the line and the consumption of medicine remains at its current level.