Tipperary TD says ongoing medicine shortages is causing 'significant stress' for people

The ongoing shortage of some 300 prescription-only medications is causing significant stress for many people, Deputy Michael Lowry told An Tánaiste, Mícheál Martin, in the Dáil.

He said that this has been compounded by news articles stating that pharmacists were being left with no alternative other than to dispense substitute medications that had not been authorised or registered for use in Ireland.

"Despite the fact that these medications, known as Exempt Medicinal Products or EMPs, can legally be supplied to patients in Ireland by a qualified pharmacist to meet their health needs in the absence of their regular product, many patients in Tipperary and across the country feel confused and unsettled," he said

The Thurles TD said that elderly people and parents of young children were particularly concerned when a medication that they had been familiar with for years was replaced by one that they did not recognise.

"This situation threatens to undermine plans to expand the role of pharmacists in healthcare," he warned.

Deputy Lowry asked Mr Martin if the Government had plans to stage an information campaign to inform people of the need for these substitute medications and provide them with the reassurance that they were proper and safe.

The Tánaiste thanked Deputy Lowry for raising the important matter and said that his idea for an information campaign was a very good one.

He said that he would welcome such a move and will talk to the Minister in respect of that.

He added that "medicine shortages are a feature of modern health systems worldwide. It’s a global health problem now."

He added that the Medicines Regulator (HPRA) had said that, while individual brands or strengths of a particular medication may be temporarily unavailable, for the vast majority of medicines there were appropriate substitutions, such as different strengths, brands or similar classes of medicines.

"Some of these medicines may be generically interchanged, often without the need for a GP or prescriber so, in most cases, patients can access the medicines they need. We do have a Medicine Shortage Framework operated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)," said Mr Martin.