John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the way he hopes to make the public more aware of the availability of generic medicines in view of the low take-up by comparison to other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7485/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 was published on the 13th of July 2012. e Bill completed its passage through the Seanad on Wednesday, the 19th of September, and completed Second Stage in the Dáil on the 17th of December. It is anticipated that the Bill will continue its passage through the Dáil within the next few weeks.

An Implementation Group on Generic Substitution and Reference Pricing has been established and it held its inaugural meeting on the 9th of August 2012. e Group held stakeholder meetings on the 20th of November 2012.

A Communications Subgroup was also established and is currently working on a communications strategy the aim of which is to raise public awareness of generics.