Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 14 November 2013

Public Accounts Committee

2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards

12:20 pm

Mr. Tony O'Brien:

We have just moved, following legislation, to a reference pricing environment. The first drug has been subject to reference pricing as a result of which it is priced at 70% less than previously. That is a first step. We intend to do significantly more of that on a progressive basis. It is interesting to note that, despite reducing the price for a particular manufacturer in effect by 70% it is still sufficiently interested in the market to put full page advertisements in the newspapers to encourage people to continue taking its product at the 30% rate. We think that there is significant scope in that area and that is why we are aiming for a €50 million budget cut in that area for the coming year.