Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for coming before us this morning and giving us the benefit of their advice. I agree with the views expressed that what is happening at present, whereby seriously ill people who know a particular drug is available and has beneficial effects are deprived of it unless they pay a ransom for the drug, is totally unworkable and morally wrong. The pharmaceutical sector must be regulated in some fashion and the best place to do so is at a European level. As I have said many times in the past, I do not think any one country can deal with this matter itself.

I appreciate the tremendous work done by the pharmaceutical sector. It does very important and beneficial work in research and development as otherwise, we would not have the drugs at all. That said, there comes a time when the patient should not become the victim. Patients are being told that if they have enough money, they can have a drug now or it will be tested on them first as part of a trial but when it proves to be effective, the price will be increased. This is morally wrong and cannot be allowed to continue.

We, at this committee, have discussed the system many times. I believe that some means must be found at European level and it is not going to work at a national level because no one country, not even the more powerful ones, is prepared to do so. At present there are drugs that are not reimbursed in the UK, for example, because they are too expensive but they are effective. It is so sad to see patients being held to ransom when effective remedies are readily available and at the same time, governments are being told to pay up or they will not get the drugs. I do not know how we can resolve the matter but we must do so through the European Union. We must use the power of the numbers in the European Single Market to impress upon the pharmaceutical sector that fair is fair. We must tell it that while we are prepared to go a certain distance, that we know the sector has invested and are taking into account the cost of the investment in research and development, they must be fair to patients. We must tell the sector we now think it is time that it ensures, having developed its facilities, that patients at least get an even break and we do not have the stark and sad situation whereby only the very wealthy can afford to live. I am not asking for a response to what I have said as I have said all of this many times before. We must go back to our colleagues in the European Union in an effort to encourage them to deal with what is happening, and deal with it throughout the European Union, from which we will all benefit.