Tony O’Brien: Donnelly has a golden chance to alter our approach to new medicines

The public don’t trust the pharma sector, but this could change when the Covid-19 vaccine rolls out

The challenge for Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, and the wider government, is to grasp the opportunity of an unprecedented new medicines budget.

Next year will be the first one in a decade that the level of planned funding for access to new medicines is to be dramatically increased, rising from €10 million in the current and recent years to €50 million for 2021.

This gives Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, who secured this new funding, the chance to dramatically alter our approach to new medicines, and address the lengthening waiting times for Irish patients seeking access ...