Dr. Leisha Daly:

I agree with Ms Gannon's last point. As has been noted, with the population ageing and new medicines emerging, it will not be enough to assume that the savings being generated from older medicines will be sufficient to fund new medicines. It must be acknowledged that more funding needs to be ring-fenced for new, innovative medicines coming to the market.

While the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association acknowledges the role of biosimilar products in providing value, these are not generic products as they are different molecules. The decision on when and where to use them should not be based on financial considerations. Safety considerations must also be taken into account and the IPHA is working with the Health Products Regulatory Authority on this matter.