Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 670: To ask the Minister for Health the cost to the State of the over-prescribing of medicines via the public health system. [22214/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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A number of studies have estimated the prevalence and cost of potentially inappropriate prescribing for different groups of patients. However, there is no overall estimate of the cost of potentially inappropriate prescribing in Ireland.

The HSE is implementing a range of initiatives to maximise the appropriate prescribing of medicines. These include working in partnership with key health professionals to develop pathways for quality prescribing, promoting an extended role of the use of clinical protocols for the delivery of evidence-based prescribing and developing the role of community pharmacists and the introduction of patient-held prescribing records. In addition, the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service has introduced an on-line facility for GPs to review and self-audit their individual prescribing practice in comparison with the national average, which has been standardised for the individual GP's patient profile.

I have recently indicated that I intend to take an initiative to carry out a closer examination of prescribing patterns and I hope to finalise the details of this initiative shortly.