Written answers

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Department of Health

Generic Drugs Substitution

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the enactment of legislation to promote generic substitution of medicines, if he supports the introduction of prescribing supports such as the ScriptSwitch system used by the NHS in the UK to ensure that the usage of generic medicines are increased and that greater savings for that Exchequer are realised; if so, when he expects such systems to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24889/13]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The HSE has been working with General Practitioners over many years to encourage better quality prescribing of drugs in Ireland. In 2012, the HSE’s Medicines Management Programme (MMP) was established to further this agenda and to communicate with prescribers regarding best practice. Over the coming weeks the MMP plans to attend a number of regional GP meetings to convey programme preferred prescribing in key areas.

A further initiative underway to assist with GP prescribing is the launch of the HSE’s Prescribing Guidance System (PGS). This system supports prescribers with integrated 'point of prescribing' information making it easier for GPs to make decisions in line with MMP prescribing guidance. In turn, the system also gives assurance regarding the effectiveness of prescribing guidance interventions.

The HSE is writing to GP system vendors alerting them to this new integration opportunity. Most GPs are already integrated with the HSE for the purpose of medical card eligibility confirmation. This system is one of the most widely used messaging systems operating in Ireland with over 300,000 messages consumed nationally each day across primary care software systems.

GPs will be aware that their integrated system will highlight when an individual’s medical card eligibility period has expired, i.e. messaging is on an exceptional basis only. The same model has been adopted for the Prescribing Guidance System meaning that GPs prescribing in line with MMP prescribing guidance will not be seeing messages at all.

It is anticipated that this prescribing guidance system will be a critical assistance to the GP community and significantly important to the wider health system.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Health the national targets for generic substitution of medicines; when these targets will be set; the way it is intended that such targets will be realised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24890/13]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Department is committed to establishing high-level annual targets by the end of September for the share of generic penetration over the medium-term. These targets will be informed by the findings of a report currently being completed by the ESRI which is examining the usage of generics in Ireland and comparable EU jurisdictions.

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