ANGER OVER LOCAL PHARMACY PRICES
As an emergency meeting of the Irish Pharmacy Union this week recommended that its members should resume normal service after an 11 day dispute with the Minister for Health, Mary Harney and the HSE, many people have questioned the actions of some of the pharmacists who had withdrawn their services.
Meanwhile many people have questioned the actions of some of the pharmacists who have withdrawn their services.
One Avondhu reader, Liam Donnelly from Kilworth, gave an example of some of the concerns the public has, “Recently I paid over €16 for a 7.5g tube of the non-prescription ointment, Lamicil, in a Fermoy pharmacy. I since bought the same product in a 15g tube for €6 in a pharmacy in France. The French town is bigger than Fermoy but has just 2 pharmacies compared to 7 pharmacies in Fermoy. Has this something to do with the current prices problem?”
One local pharmacist explained the reason for the difference between France and Fermoy.
“Firstly it is illegal under Irish law to sell Lamicil in 15g tubes without a prescription. At this pharmacy non-prescription Lamicil in a 7.5 tube costs €8.42 so I can’t comment on the price difference.
"As for the number of pharmacies in Fermoy, it was the current government who deregulated the number of pharmacies that can set up in an area, just as they have deregulated other businesses and services.
"The main reason, however, why the cost of drugs is so much higher in Ireland than in most European countries is because the drug companies charge much higher prices to the Government and Irish pharmacists,” Brian Whelan of Fermoy Medical Hall told The Avondhu.
Published:
Thursday 13th August 6:42pm
