Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In 2019, the Medical Council established an ‘Overprescribing Working Group’ to consider issues with overprescribing of controlled drugs within the healthcare system. The aim of the group was to create a forum for stakeholders to share knowledge, experience and ideas on how to address overprescribing of benzodiazepines, Z drugs and Pregabalin, and also to identify strategies to reduce the over prescribing of these drugs in the interest of patient and practitioner safety, and to support prescribers in adherence with guidelines.

The Working Group includes representatives from my Department, the HSE, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Agency and the Irish College of Psychiatry.

The group is currently working on a report which is examining the impact of the overprescribing of benzodiazepines, Z drugs and pregabalin in Ireland and it is estimated that this report will be finalised next year.

Following examination of the recommendations of this report, I will consider what measures need to be taken to support medical practitioners in the area of safe prescribing and to address any patient safety concerns arising.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Pregabalin is a prescription drug used to manage a number of long-term conditions, including epilepsy, neuropathic pain and generalised anxiety disorder. Under the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 (SI 540/2003) it is a Schedule A product subject to prescription which may not be renewed. On its website HSE has advice on the appropriate prescribing of pregabalin while in September 2019 the Irish Medical Council advise all doctors prescribing pregabalin to follow best practice guidelines and to only prescribe when absolutely required. Given the prescription controls in place and the professional prescribing advice offered by both the HSE and the Irish Medical Council there are no current plans to control pregabalin under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.