John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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359. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 14 January 2015, if when pharmacists are dispensing branded non-generic medication on the explicit instruction of a prescriber to eligible patients using State drug schemes, such as the medical card or drugs payment scheme, they will be fully refunded the extra cost of the medication by the Health Service Executive; if he will provide a composite list of any exceptions to a full refund; the timeframe to refund pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6785/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As was outlined my reply to your PQ of 14 January, Section 13 of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medicines) Act 2013 provides that where a branded interchangeable product is prescribed for a patient and the prescriber is satisfied that the medicinal product, should for clinical reasons, be exempted from substitution, the prescriber shall write 'Do not Substitute' on the prescription. In these cases, the pharmacist must dispense what is written on the prescription, i.e. is not permitted to substitute with any product in the same group of interchangeable products and patients will not face any additional costs if the prescribed product costs more than the reference price.

As the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, the issue raised by you regarding the refund process has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.

If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.