'Contingency pharmacies'

Madam, – The Minister must bring an end to the pharmacy dispute

Madam, – The Minister must bring an end to the pharmacy dispute. To date people have been seriously inconvenienced, but worse will come as supplies of medicines continue to run down. The origins of the present dispute go back many years but have been amplified by two key issues: an absence of shared vision as to how best pharmacy services can be deployed and a negotiation process that has separated the stakeholders instead of keeping them “in the same room”.

Everyone is now losing. A new approach is needed. There is agreement on all sides that cuts must be made. With that, the Minister could lead the necessary change by putting a one-month stay on execution of cuts, and getting all parties into one room, with a skilled facilitator, and not letting them out until there is an agreed scheme at manufacturer, wholesale and retail levels. Most importantly, the patient must be in that room. Irish people have tremendous capacity to adapt and be creative – we have solved far greater problems than this! – Yours, etc,

JOHN BOURKE,

Richview Park,

Dartry, Dublin 6.

Madam, – Colin O’Regan calls for GPs to be allowed dispense medications, thus by-passing pharmacists (August 7th). He clearly does not understand how general practice works, nor appreciate the role pharmacists play. Pharmacists complement the over-stretched and under-resourced GP sector, especially in Dublin. They enable patients comply with medications, avoid accidental overdosing and detect adverse drug interactions. Supply-chain shortening is a fine idea in manufacturing, but would be disastrous in healthcare. Manufacturing mistakes are binned in factories, medication errors are buried in graveyards. – Yours, etc,

Dr MAIT O FAOLAIN,

Iona Villas,

Glasnevin,

Dublin 9.

Madam, – If Minister for Health Mary Harney genuinely wants to decrease the State drug bill, she could invoke her extraordinary emergency powers to decree that pharmaceutical companies will henceforth be paid 25 per cent less for the costs of drugs. In addition to reducing basic ingredient cost, this measure would have the knock-on effect of reducing the amount paid to pharmacists who get paid on a percentage of base drug cost.

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This would also address the dramatic differential, frequently quoted in the media, between drug costs in Ireland and other countries. – Yours, etc,

CHARLES O’CONNELL,

Clonminch Wood,

Tullamore,

Co Offaly.