Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Health the reason there was no new agreement on drugs pricing in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36586/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Officials in my Department are working with their colleagues in the HSE, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of Government Procurement to ensure that the State achieves the best possible deal in terms of value for money regarding the pricing and supply of medicines. Preliminary discussions have taken place with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) regarding a possible successor agreement to the existing drugs pricing and supply Agreement between the IPHA, the Department of Health, and the HSE. The focus is on achieving the best possible deal in terms of value for money over the next three years.

The current Agreement, which runs until the end of this month, will remain in place until discussions on a new agreement are concluded.