Ms Michele Tait:

The cost varies. Each of the drug companies negotiates different terms in different countries. We do not have detailed intelligence on that but we have some limited information. Every country, including Ireland, negotiates a commercial and confidence agreement with a percentage rebate based on sales. Every country negotiates a different agreement. The terms we have reached with the commercial companies operating throughout the EU are quite favourable. In contradistinction to where we were a few years ago, we are getting very good value on drugs for hepatitis C. We may be getting the best value for them, or among the best.