Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Coming from a medical background, the Taoiseach will agree that we need sustainable models of medicine development and medicine procurement. We are seeing significant advances in drug treatment for life-threatening illnesses and also in respect of non-communicable illnesses, but there has also been a massive escalation in prices by the pharmaceutical companies. Some of the prices being charged are extortionate. There are many examples in this regard but I will just provide one that relates to overpricing. The University of Pennsylvania was able to produce a new treatment for cancer, CAR-T, for $15,000. Novartis is producing it at a cost of $475,000. We know here what has been happening with Orkambi, Spinraza and Prempro. Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, DNDI, based in Geneva but with offices around the world, was able to come up with a plan using certain drugs for $150 million but big pharma has stated that it would cost €2.5 billion to do the same. It is also the case that Ireland is falling behind other European countries when it comes to access to medicines for illnesses such as MS.

Opposition is growing to this monopoly exercised by the pharma companies. Only last weekend, there was a lawsuit of over 40 US states against pharmaceutical companies for overpricing in respect of cancer and diabetes drugs. If one looks at the base level of development of these drugs, the research is being carried out by publicly-funded universities and research institutes. Phenomenal work is being done. The patents for newly developed drugs are then sold to the pharmaceutical companies and it is at that point that reform is needed in order that universities and research institutions are supported in challenging the pharmaceutical companies so that conditions are attached regarding the future affordability of medicine. If the latter happens, we will not be obliged to overpay for medicines that were originally development with public funds. University College London has done a serious amount of work on this issue. In 2016, the EU Council passed strong recommendations in respect of this kind of reform but these need to be implemented now with a co-ordination mechanism. I am asking that Ireland be involved in this regard. I am also asking that, as called for at a recent access to medicines conference, Ireland support the Italian resolution on transparency on this matter at the World Health Assembly in Geneva next week.

However bad the prohibitive cost of medicines here, we can only imagine what it is like in the global south, not only for the difficult illnesses but also for non-communicable ones. I refer here to certain basic illnesses from which people are dying. Sustainable development goal 3 is about access to affordable medicines. We also signed a UN agreement last year with an explicit commitment to promote increased access to affordable, safe, effective and quality medicines.

I ask that the Taoiseach consider three aspects: capacity-building and strengthening of the universities and research institutes when they are negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies which are driven by shareholder profit; retaining some drugs in public ownership, fully developed and distributed through the public health system, which model exists in both Cuba and Brazil, and in parts of the United States; and that the Government adopt a procurement policy which actively, and in a timely fashion, will take up the less expensive biosimilar alternatives when the patents relating to the original drugs expire. Otherwise we will keep on paying over the price for medicines that are badly needed.

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