Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Would it be in order to make some very quick general points? It is Report Stage and obviously we are supporting the Bill, but I want to raise the points I made on the timeframe. When will be in any position to know? The Minister is saying there is the capacity to look at the top 20 medicines simultaneously. Has the IMB staffed up to deal with that so that we would have the 20 within a relatively short period of time? We all want the same thing here. Also, when would the manufacturers know the reference price? I touched on the issue that these outfits need a lead-in time to get production levels up to supply a market, which could be six to 12 months. Perhaps that could be done in advance or at least as quickly as possible so we have the top 20 generic drugs available and the reference price is available as early as possible so the generic companies can increase production in line with the demands of this market.

If we save at the bottom we will get to spend more at the top. As new breakthrough wonder drugs for critical diseases come our way, we will have more to spend on the upper end if we can save on the bottom end. My thanks, as always, to the Minister for making himself available.