Osteoporosis Society lobbies Minister over drug substitution

Objections made to the introduction of a system of reference pricing, combined with generic substitution under the GMS and community drugs schemes, by the Irish Osteoporosis Society (IOS) will be taken into account during the implementation phase of the initiative, the Minister for Health has confirmed. The IOS recently sent out a letter to all members and to Minister Mary Harney outlining its concerns about plans to introduce the scheme for all prescription drugs in Ireland. The Society is concerned that the Government is proposing to allow pharmacists to switch a patient’s medication to a cheaper, generic drug, where the…