Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1092. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of the National Task Force on Prescribing and Dispensing Practice in the first half of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34933/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has been working with GPs over many years to encourage better quality prescribing of drugs in Ireland. In 2012, the HSE’s Medicines Management Programme was established and one of its key tasks is to communicate with prescribers regarding best practice.

The Programme has identified ‘preferred drugs’ for prescribers when prescribing Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) or statin medication for patients. This is the first time that the State has introduced a preferred drug initiative. PPIs are prescribed for patients with peptic ulcer disease and/or reflux and statin medication is for high cholesterol. The preferred PPI is Lansoprazole and the preferred statin is Simvastatin. The HSE is asking doctors to prescribe these preferred drugs in order to save money, both for patients who pay for their medication and to deliver savings of an estimated €15 million for the taxpayer.

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.

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.