Price of many drugs may fall 10% from next month

The Irish Times - Saturday, October 13, 2012

CONOR POPE, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

THE PRICE of prescription drugs is likely to fall by more than 10 per cent within days after the Department of Health announces the outcome of negotiations with the pharmaceutical industrys representative group.

However, while lower prices will be welcomed by consumers, they are leading to severe shortages of some drugs and the problem is only going to get worse, it has been warned.

President of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union Rory ODonnell told The Irish Times yesterday that certain medicines have been in short supply for quite some time. He said drugs which combat depression, erectile dysfunction and diabetes have been hardest hit.

There is a public service obligation compelling manufacturers to maintain a certain supply of prescription medications for the Irish market but Mr ODonnell said the system was not particularly robust.

Some medicines are subject to what is known as allocation. This means the manufacturer rations supply to wholesale and retail pharmacies, in an effort to prevent re-export to other EU markets where the price is higher. This often causes shortages and interruptions in treatment. The issue is likely to worsen as the price of medicines keeps falling.

Mr ODonnell said that while there is a PSO in place, it does not appear that the problem is being taken seriously by either the Department of Health or the Irish Medicines Board, which regulates the supply of drugs in the State.

Drugs such as Cialis, used to treat erectile dysfunction, and the anti-depressant Cymbata, have been in short supply in recent weeks while supplies of drugs for diabetes, multiple sclerosis and psychosis have also run down in many chemists across the State.

Other brands identified by Mr ODonnell as hard to come by in recent months include Eltroxin which treats a serious thyroid condition, and Nexium which is used to manage stomach acid. The IPU is regularly updating a list of drugs in short supply at ipu.ie.

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Price of many drugs may fall 10% from next month