Update on Medicines shortages
Posted by Eamonn Brady on
Medicine Shortages in Ireland
Reasons Part 1
In Ireland, nearly 40% of people in the last two years have been affected by medicine shortages. Medicines in short supply have included treatments for pain, blood pressure, respiratory illnesses, HRT, ADHD, digestive conditions, and arthritis.
The real/main reason Ireland has more medicine shortages than other EU countries (i.e.) low cost paid for generics
The Umbrella Group, Medicines for Ireland which represents companies supplying generic medicines and represent companies that supply 60% of all prescription medication consumed in Ireland were quoted last year that they “very low prices pose a risk to pharmaceutical companies’ viability to supply the Irish market due to drug acquisition costs.”
Medicines for Ireland explain that “unsustainably low pricing for many off-patent medications is one of the main factors creating vulnerability in the supply of medicines” and they feel that failure to look at the low prices the HSE pay for generics will increase shortages as many drugs are no longer viable to keep on the Irish market. 82% of all prescriptions dispensed in Ireland are dispensed on state schemes (e.g., GMS, DPS, LTI schemes), so low prices paid by the state for generics is a major reason for shortages.
Owen McKeon, head of generic company Mylan® (now Viatris®) was quoted in 2018, “Ireland has reached a tipping point whereby the price of some generic medicines has fallen to such an extent that often a month’s supply can cost less than a bar of chocolate. This is unsustainable over longer-term.” Since 2008, when Ireland had one of the highest cost of prescription drugs in the EU, the our health service pays for generics is below the EU average, and for a country with a low population and in a location at the edge of Europe (making it more expensive to supply), it means we now have a bigger issue with out of stock medication as we have less generic companies seeing Ireland as a viable country to do business in.
To be continued….next week
Written by Eamonn Brady (Pharmacist). Whelehans Pharmacies, 38 Pearse St and Clonmore, Mullingar. Tel 04493 34591 (Pearse St) or 04493 10266 (Clonmore), Mullingar. www.whelehans.ie