Mr. John Hennessy:

We will attempt to do so. I will rely on my colleagues to provide some finer details.

Senator Colm Burke asked about the population issue and whether our prescribing levels and costs are comparatively high. That has traditionally been the case and our average costs and expenditure on medicines per head of population have been comparatively high. Whether that is currently the case is less certain. The situation may be changing. The previous Joint Committee on Health published a good report in 2015 that analysed this issue in detail. The changes that have occurred since then are mainly related to the switch to generic medicines, as mentioned by members, which has had an effect on average costs. Some of my colleagues may be able to provide further detail on that issue.

I ask Mr. Flanagan to address the issue of the difference in how Germany deals with applications for new drugs compared to other jurisdictions.