James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

At the Joint Committee on Health and Children yesterday I alluded to the practice in the past where hospital pharmacists could do deals with certain drug companies and get branded products cheaply which they would then prescribe within the hospital. Those prescriptions would then go out to general practitioners and patients would remain on those branded more expensive products while cheaper generics were available. I understood this was an issue in the past but I received a phone call from a colleague this morning suggesting it is believed this is ongoing. Will the Taoiseach cover off this issue when the Government introduces the drugs reference pricing Bill? The problem is that patients are being left on expensive medication on which the hospital makes a small saving but on which the State loses heavily because the patient is left on that medication for years.

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