John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 722: To ask the Minister for Health if patients will be allowed to continue to receive non-generic drugs under the general medical scheme in cases where they have presented with side effects to the generic alternative [34354/12]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The recent interim agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association has no bearing on the availability of branded or generic medicines under the GMS or community drugs schemes. A prescriber may prescribe a medicine which he/she believes is best suited to meet the individual needs of the patient concerned. The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill sets out provisions for the interchangeability of medicines.The Bill contains a provision whereby a prescriber can exempt a prescribed medicine from being substituted for another brand of that medicine for clinical reasons.