Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The proposed amendment would require that the clinical indications be included in both the prescription by the prescriber and the medicine label by the pharmacist. Two mandatory requirements are suggested in the amendment. It is important to note that many medicines have multiple clinical indications. I fully appreciate the importance of patients having full information on the correct use of medicines. We had a discussion about this issue on Committee Stage and I understand and agree with the principle elucidated by Deputy Denis Naughten.

The current legislation on the prescribing and control of supplied medicines, the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003-2011, sets out the minimum requirements relating to the dispensing of prescriptions and the information the pharmacist must record on the label. In addition to these requirements, pharmacists are not precluded from including additional information where this is deemed appropriate. It is open to them to record the indications on the label, where appropriate. This is considered best practice for certain vulnerable groups. In addition to the information provided on the label, pharmacists are also obliged under the Retail Pharmacy Business Regulations 2008 to provide information and counselling for the patient. This ensures patients receive all information relevant to their medicines. The regulations also provide that the pharmacist must review the prescription having regard to the pharmaceutical and therapeutic appropriateness of the medicine for the patient. This provision can be an important step in the safe use of certain medicines. In view of these requirements and also recognising the wishes of some patients who may not wish to have a clinical indication recorded, I do not propose to accept the amendment.

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