The number of patent settlements in the pharmaceutical sector that are potentially problematic under the European Union’s antitrust rules fell to 10 per cent of total patent settlements in the period July 2008 to December 2009, it has emerged. This compared with 22 per cent in the period covered in last year’s inquiry into the [...]
Map of alcohol outlets mooted
July 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Minister of State at the Department of the Health Deputy Áine Brady has told the Dáil she supports the creation of a national map of alcohol outlets. The “easily accessible register or database” will assess the impact and concentration of pubs and off licences on local communities throughout Ireland.
NI doctors call for ROI drink-drive limit
July 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The British Medical Association (BMA) in Northern Ireland has recommended cutting the maximum blood-alcohol level for drivers from 80mg per 100ml to 50mg, in line with plans to introduce similar levels in the Republic. The limit should also be further reduced to 20mg per 100ml for novice and newly qualified motorists, the BMA added, echoing [...]
Minors recruited for tobacco research
June 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) is currently recruiting minors for research to measure national compliance with tobacco legislation. Minors between 14 and 17 years will be recruited to measure compliance by retail stores, while teens aged from 15 to 17 years will measure compliance with tobacco legislation by licensed premises. A spokesperson for the [...]
FTP Committee hears 28 cases in 2009
June 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise (FTP) Committee heard 28 cases over 42 hearing days last year, new figures reveal. During the course of 2009, inquiries were heard in accordance with the provisions of both Part V of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978 and Part 8 of the Medical Practitioners Act, 2007. Ten inquiries were [...]
Ambulance service and laboratories next on HIQA list
June 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is examining a new set of indicators for the ambulance service, according to its latest annual report. HIQA has also revealed that long-awaited laboratory and radiology coding and standards are to be published later this year, but that ‘epharmacy’ standards will not be published until 2011. The inventory [...]
Pledge given to regulate sunbeds
June 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Minister for Health has indicated that she will seek Government approval later this month to introduce comprehensive legislation to regulate the use of sunbeds. The legislation, entitled the Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill, will prohibit the use of sunbeds by anyone under 18 years of age, as well as outlawing the sale or hire of [...]
HTA delays an issue for policymakers
June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
There is understandable tension in the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process between the need to do rigorous scientific analysis and the needs of policy advisors and decision makers to get answers quickly, Secretary General of the Department of Health Michael Scanlan told an international conference in Dublin this week. The event, HTAi 2010 – Maximising [...]
Health Information Bill to be published in June
May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The long-awaited Health Information Bill will be published next month and go to the Oireachtas in the Autumn, Irish Medical Times has learned. One of the main purposes of the Bill, which is currently being formally drafted, will be to establish a legislative framework to enable information – in whatever form – to be used [...]
Harney signs legislation to ensure doctors’ competence
April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Minister for Health has signed into law new requirements that make it mandatory for doctors to participate in professional competence schemes designed to ensure their skills and training are kept up to date. Minister Mary Harney has signed the commencement order which will bring into operation, from Saturday May 1, all remaining provisions of [...]