Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Health the status of an initiative he is taking with other countries to negotiate collectively to lower the prices of drugs; the status of meetings that both he and officials from his Department have had with their counterparts on this; the way he will proceed on this; if targets have been set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4701/17]

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 2016 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 and my officials have been actively engaged with our international colleagues on the issue of drug pricing. As the Deputy will be aware I have engaged with the Health Ministers in England, Scotland, Canada and Australia regarding the pricing of the medicine Orkambi, and I have also spoken with the Dutch Health Minister on that issue. Collaboration on this issue is now being progressed at official level and I will also be meeting with Ms Shona Robison MSP, Health Minister for Scotland later this month to discuss Orkambi.

On the cost of new medicines generally, I used the opportunity at the second Round Table meeting for European Health Ministers and CEO’s/Heads of Europe-based pharmaceutical companies in Portugal last December and the recent OECD meeting in January to engage with Ministers from other countries on how to address the challenge of securing access to new medicines for citizens at an affordable price.

At the OECD meeting all Ministers agreed that they faced similar challenges and that international collaboration should be explored to enable patients to benefit from these new medicines. I intend to follow up further with the OECD and I am pleased that they are examining this very important issue.