Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the amount he expects to spend on medicines in 2012; if the Health Service Executive has sufficient budgetary resources to meet this cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47680/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health in view of the recent agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, if he expects the State’s total medicines bill for 2013, to be lower than that for 2012; the extent to which it will be lower if this is the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47681/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the amount he expects to be spent on newly authorised medicines in 2012; if he will name these medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47682/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the amount that the State’s spending on newly authorised medicines is estimated to be for each of the next three years of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association Agreement; the person charged with compiling this estimate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47683/12]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1024 to 1027, inclusive, together.

The HSE estimates that expenditure in 2012 on drugs and non-drug items (dressings, etc.) under the GMS and community drug schemes, including mark ups and dispensing fees will be approximately €1.7 billion.In addition, about €300m will be spent on drugs and medicines used in public hospitals. The HSE estimates that the cost of new drugs in 2012 will be approximately €15 million. Examples include the cancer drug, Ipilimumab, and the Hepatitis C drugs, Boceprevir and Teleprevir. The cost of new drugs between 2013 and 2015 is estimated to be approximately €70 million per annum. It is estimated that the recent agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) will generate gross savings of up to €116m in 2013. However, the net savings will be affected by the cost of new drugs and by any significant increase in the volume of drugs consumed under the community drugs schemes.