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HEALTH MINISTER SIMON Harris wants to bring down the cost of expensive drugs by buying in bulk.
In an exclusive interview withTheJournal.ie, the minister said he is “exploring options” with other EU countries to see if he can bring down the cost of drugs bought by the state.
“I am eager to do something with other European countries. I went out to Bratislava recently and met one of the European health ministers to explore how we could cooperate.”
As Ireland has a population of over 4 and a half million people and Europe with 400 million, he said there could be deals to be done.
Benefits to buying in bulk
“There have to be benefits with negotiating in bulk and buying in bulk. I am exploring those options.”
The issue of expensive drugs was highlighted recently when a number of patients with Cystic Fibrosis said a new drug called Orkambi would drastically improve their lives.
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The drug is yet to approved by the Irish government after the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics deemed it too expensive at €160,000 per year per patient.
The body advises the government after it assesses the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of drugs. It wants the makers of Orkambi to reduce the asking price down by five times.
Harris told patients that the NCPE’s decision was not final and that it was part of a process.
“The HSE is still in negotiations with the company called Vertex,” he said. However, he said he could not be drawn on the issue as it could impact on the negotiations
“I think it is really important the politicians don’t say anything that could jeopardise the ability of the HSE to get the best outcome for CF patients in Ireland,” he said.
Often I find as minister, you have to bite your tongue because comments I could make about ‘I want this drug provided’ or ‘I want that drug provided’ immediately undermines the ability of the HSE to negotiate. It is important these decisions are made by clinicians.
The minister said situations involving patients and expensive drugs can be “extraordinarily difficult” but that he has to be disciplined with the budget.
Harris said government need to make sure it is providing drugs that clinicians say it should be providing.
“I mean, the last thing the people of Ireland want is me, as a layperson, with no medical training, making decisions on what drugs to provide or not to provide,” he said.
“New drugs that can extend people’s lives, give them a better quality of life, it’s great, but there is a finite amount of money there,” he said.
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How about bringing in generics? €5 for a pack of ibuprofen in Ireland, 30p in Britain, I’m fairly sure your pennies would add up pretty quickly, Mr Harris.
I was listening to the radio last week and there was an article on RTE1 about doctors and how they were getting hospitality from the pharma companies. Also some doctors did not declare what they got the readies for. As soon as the article finished RTE switched to ads and the very first ad was a long one from a big pharma company telling us what a great job they were doing and how much it cost to make the medicines.
Pharma aside for one minute, this whole proposal seems like basic political posturing. It’s a red herring because people know that branded drugs are the go to in Ireland, an incredible cost when they need not be. Additionally, bulk buying an incredibly obvious money saving strategy for anyone that has undertaken Junior Cert Business Studies. It isn’t commendable. In fact I don’t understand how it isn’t a thing already.
No worries. Yes, I mean the incredibly incompetent government, not pharma companies. Pharma is what it is and unfortunately, it often serves as a patsy for inept government officials who can’t get the deal or finances right thus resulting in their (hopefully) perceived martyrdom and articles like this one. We are not amused.
@Titus Groan:
The officials need clear directions from the Minister. There are too many layers between the Minister and decision making and that suits most Politicians just fine but perhaps the young Minister Harris is different.
He wants to bring down the cost of medicines…he urges health insurers not to pass on a government created 10% increase in the levy…he’s hoping to change the food served in hospitals…instead of wanting and hoping, should he not be legislating and implementing ? Instead of asking, be telling?
@Tony Skillington: Spot on Tony. I have been listening to successive health ministers for the last ten years going on about generics, bulk buying, drug bills being way too high blah blah blah. It’s all hot air that means feck all. Harris it would appear is the latest in a long line of health ministers to put on the hat and do the dance but doing absolutely nothing to help patients or indeed the taxpayer.
I know a Dr who will preform any operation for $129.95… went to Hollywood upstairs medical college.
Seriously though, ever consider the economics of providing a modern healthcare system? None of those are cheap to provide and somewhere society has to pay those costs.
we have a lot of the top pharma companies here in ireland giving them tax deals etc part of the deals should be reduced cost of produced drugs for the irish state
Why is it that drugs manufactured in ireland and bought in ireland cost more than the same drug manufactured in ireland costs when it is exported to the canaries and bought there? This is a question Harris needs to ask first.
One of the first things any good businessman would think of is value. How long is harris in the job now? This just shows how inept our politicians are. Horrendously poor they are.
Mr Harris can you tell us all why when a pensioner with a medical card goes to the chemist that they are automatically given generics for €2.50 , and if they want the proper brand thats been proscribed on their prescription they have to pay extra on top of the €2.50 for have them .
Cholly I agree with Kurt, and most know what they are and how they work but I also know of several people/ pensioners who struggle with the generics because have been on a partcular brand all their lives.
Pensioners were tax payer two cholly, they probably helped to pay for some of the benefits that you enjoy today , or do you just think that taxes collected should just go to the TD’s and the Boys.
There is not enough tax being collected it would seem. If you brand pay for them. The prescription charge in the UK is 8 20 STG at the minute so doing all right here. Plus 40% of tge country have medical cards.
@Nucky:
You would need to demonstrate the benefits of the named medicine over the generic otherwise its a similar thing to demanding avonmore milk because you prefer the packaging to lidl milk.
I seen that on a recent trip. 104 stg if you prepay a year in advance. Or 116 if you pay 3 months in advance. Whereas it is capped at 300 here. Might be less. Either way branded drugs on the state only if necessary
Could this bulk buying be applied eu wide The eu as a whole negotiate the price with the pharma companies and here we go mega- bulk-mega discount think big get out of the bog
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