Varadkar needs support on cheaper medicines
News that Minister for Health Leo Varadkar plans to use the government’s legislative powers to force a price cut on medicines should be applauded by patients and taxpayers nationwide.
The pharmaceutical sector has refused to play ball in negotiations with the minister, by ruling out reductions in a mid-term review of the existing 2012 agreement.
Varadkar is right to seek reductions from manufacturers, which are represented by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA).
Successive reports from the OECD show that Ireland spends considerably more per capita on medicines than the vast majority of the EU.
Ireland has a comparatively young population, yet ...
