Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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208. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the programme for Government commitment to reduce the cost of medicines by reducing the annual required co-payment on the drugs payment scheme; his plans to amend reimbursement of the scheme from a monthly to annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25266/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.

This Government is committed to reducing the cost of medicines. This includes ongoing price reviews of approved products under the 2016 pricing and supply agreement with industry and the promotion of greater use and availability of generic medicines. As part of this process, and in line with the commitments given in the Programme for Partnership Government, I intend to consider the Drugs Payment Scheme threshold, in the context of the Health commitments in the Programme for Government, and having regard to the funding available.