Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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44. To ask the Minister for Health the status of an initiative he is reported to be taking with a European bloc of countries to negotiate collectively to lower prices of drugs; the status of meetings that he and officials from his Department have had with their European counterparts on this; the way in which he will proceed on this; if targets have been set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37855/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Decisions on pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products within public health systems are a national competence for EU Member States. However, the issue of pricing and reimbursement of medicines and patient access to affordable medicines has been addressed at European level. In June of this year the EU Council adopted conclusions on strengthening the balance in the pharmaceutical systems in the EU and its Member States. Those conclusions invited Member States to explore opportunities for cooperation on pricing and reimbursement of medicines and to identify areas for cooperation which could contribute to higher affordability and better access to medicines. I have indicated my support for these measures and I welcome the opportunity for Member States to cooperate by sharing information so that we can achieve affordable and sustainable access to medicines.

I intend to travel to Lisbon on 7 December to attend the Round Table Meeting of European Ministers of Health and Pharmaceutical Companies and my officials continue to engage with their counterparts in other Member States.