Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Health the full-year savings that would be realised from the immediate introduction of generic substitution for the 60 most commonly used off-patent medications, excluding anti-epileptic drugs, based on reference pricing at 70% below branded equivalent, by cost and by volume. [25666/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, will he please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Health the full-year savings that would be realised from sourcing the 20 most expensive and the 20 most common on-patent pharmaceuticals from another member state, parallel import, that state being where the cost of the drug is the lowest in Europe. [25667/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Most drugs, medicines and consumable appliances which are paid for by the HSE are supplied to patients through over 1,800 community pharmacies who, in turn, purchase them from wholesalers or, to a lesser extent, directly from drug manufacturers.

The current pharmacy based model results in over 70 million items being dispensed annually through local pharmacies across the State, including low population centres in rural areas. It enables pharmacies to receive deliveries each day from multiple wholesalers ensuring that all patients have continued access to essential medicines without delay. Under this model, the drugs are purchased by individual pharmacies with no direct input by the HSE.

Establishing an alternative centralised distribution centre would be extremely difficult to achieve and would absorb any potential savings available to the HSE from directly purchasing medicines.

As the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; I have referred the matter of potential savings to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, will he please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.