Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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778. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the practice of general practitioners charging significant administration fees to email prescriptions to pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44753/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 provides for, amongst other things, the electronic transmission of a patient's prescription from their GP to a pharmacy. This measure was put in place in response to Covid-19, to reduce the need for patients to visit their GP to collect their prescription.

GPs are reimbursed by the HSE for medical services provided to medical card or GP visit card holders, and these patients are not charged prescription fees.  As private practitioners, the fees charged by GPs for services to private patients, including fees regarding prescriptions, are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patients.