1. What medicines are on the list?

The medicines listed on www.checkthelist.ie  are post-patent branded medicines which have taken a 40% price reduction on the 1st February 2010.

2. Why has the price of the medicines listed been reduced?

In November 2009 the IPHA and its member companies were approached by the Minister for Health and Children with a request to create immediate savings on the State bill for medicines. Recognising the difficult position of the Irish economy and the tough decisions facing the Irish Government our member companies were willing to play their part in helping to reduce costs and prices. The reduction in cost will result in savings for the State of €94 million over the next 12 months. Patients who have to pay for their medicines could save €3 - €4 on every €10 they spend. That’s a potential saving of up to €500 per year.

3. How is the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) price per pack arrived at?

The DPS price (i.e. the price the State pays for the medicine if dispensed on the DPS) includes the manufacturer’s price, plus a 10% wholesale mark-up and a 20% pharmacist mark-up. It excludes the pharmacist dispensing fee of €3.50 - €5.00.

Example

4. Why is my medicine not on the list?

The reason your medicine is not on the list is that it did not meet the necessary criteria – the medicine must have been off-patent, had a generic equivalent available on the market, and had a price reduction already.

5. If my medicine is not on the list how can I find out what the Drug Payment Scheme price is?

You may contact the HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit on (01) 635 2672 or email cpu@hse.ie for information about the price of medicines not listed on www.checkthelist.ie .

6. When will the price of other medicines be reduced?

As a branded medicine goes off patent and an identical pharmaceutical form enters the market, the branded medicine will be subject to a 35% price reduction over a 22 month period.

7. Why are some of the medicines listed available over-the-counter (without a prescription) in other countries?

Generally, medicines are either assessed nationally by each country or centrally by the European Medicines Agency.  Approval is given for the medicine and its supply status (i.e. available on prescription or non-prescription). There are various requirements as to which route medicines can go through.

8. What do I do if the name of the medicine I get is different to the one listed on my prescription?

Legally, your pharmacist must dispense the medicine prescribed for you by your doctor. So if your doctor prescribes a particular brand by name, the pharmacist cannot dispense a product with a different name. Check with your pharmacist to ensure that you have received exactly what the doctor has ordered for you.

9. What do I do if the medicine I get is different to the one usually prescribed for me?

 
Go back to your pharmacy and ask them if the doctor has changed your medicine.

10. What is the Drug Payment Scheme threshold?

Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, an individual or family in Ireland has to pay the first €120 each month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by that person or his or her family in that month.

This scheme is aimed at those who don't have a Medical Card and normally have to pay the full cost of their medication. It also applies to those who have a GP Visit Card. Anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland can apply to join the scheme, regardless of family, financial circumstances or nationality. Being ordinarily resident in Ireland means that you have been living here for a minimum of one year or that you intend to live here for a minimum of one year.

The definition of a family for this Scheme is an adult, their spouse, and any children under 18 years. Dependents over 18 years and under 23 years who are in full time education may also be included. Everyone ordinarily resident in Ireland without a Medical Card should have a Drugs Payment Scheme Card.

You will not pay more than €120 for all your prescribed approved medication each calendar month. This maximum amount is subject to review by the Government from time to time. You must present your card each time you attend the pharmacy before a prescription can be dispensed. There are a number of items that legally do not require a prescription but for inclusion under the scheme they do require a doctor's prescription.

Source: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Find_a_Service/entitlements/Drugs_Payment_Scheme

11. If I do not have a Drug Payment Scheme card where can I apply for one?

Download the application form from the HSE website in English or Irish , or get a form from your pharmacy or Local Health Office .

Fill in the details of all your family members. Send it to your Local Health Office and you will be sent a card for each member of your family. You must present your card each time you attend the pharmacy before a prescription can be dispensed. You do not have to register with a particular Pharmacy for the scheme but for convenience it is advisable to use the same pharmacy in a particular month if you wish to avoid paying more than the maximum amount per month.

Where people need to use two or more pharmacies in one month, they can claim back the amount paid over the threshold from their Local Health Office .

Source: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Find_a_Service/entitlements/Drugs_Payment_Scheme

12. How is the price of a new medicine arrived at?

There is a mechanism in place, in the form of an agreement between the IPHA and the HSE, which ensures that the manufacturer's price at which a prescription medicine comes on to the Irish market is no higher than the average of that medicine in Spain and 8 other EU states – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and The UK.

13. Who may I contact if I have further queries about the list?

If you have further queries about the list Lo-Call (1890) 876 700 or email info@ipha.ie.

Updated: 5th February 2010

* On the 18th June 2009 the Minister for Health and Children announced reductions on payments to pharmacists under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 to reduce the cost to taxpayers of medicines dispensed under the GMS (medical card), the Drug Payment Scheme, the Long Term Illness Scheme and other community drugs schemes.

The following are the precise measures the Minister introduced:

(a) re-balance the amounts paid in respect of, on the one hand, the GMS and, on the other hand, the Drugs Payments Scheme, Long Term Illness Scheme and other community drugs schemes, by:

• introducing a new higher dispensing fee structure for the schemes based on a sliding scale as follows: €5 for first 20,000 items, €4.50 for next 10,000 items and €3.50 for the remaining items; and
• reducing from 50% to 20% the retail mark-up payable under the community drugs schemes (no mark-up is payable under the GMS);

In these two measures, the Minister responded to concerns expressed by pharmacists that medical card dispensing was cross-subsidised by the retail mark-ups on the other schemes. This should benefit pharmacies with relatively more medical card patients, for example, those serving poorer areas.

(b) reduce the ‘wholesale mark-up’ reimbursement price paid for delivery of drugs to community pharmacies, from 17.66% to 10%.