John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I give credit to the HSE on the sell-by date issue. I come from a retail background. On the discretion of pharmacies, consider the appalling programme on television recently which showed how people can get medicines online. They were non-generic and branded, but they were forgeries. There should be no temptation whatever to sell out-of-date stock to a customer. The code of practice in the retail trade regarding the sell-by date is very clear that stock is taken off shelves and discarded. That is commendable, lest there be any temptation to reduce the sell-by date stock. There is a margin in retailing where sell-by date stock is dumped out in the retail business, so I compliment the level of caution and care. If sell-by date stock might be a risk to the patient and there were an over-rigorous control whereby sell-by date stock would be given out to patients, it would be outrageous. I am pleased that it is the reverse.

As a retailer, I am aware of the amount of stock that is thrown out by every retailer in the country. Where the sell-by date is down from two weeks, they take it off two or three days beforehand. The margin in the report is very low. In the retail trade the margin can be considerably higher. It is a demand-led system. The stock might not sell to customers so one must take it off the shelves and put it in the dustbin or shred it. That level of discretion is very commendable.

Finally, with regard to the GPs and the contracts with the new primary care centres, how does the witness view participation in that?