The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 has been signed into law, which provides for the introduction of a system of generic substitution and reference pricing. Generic substitution obliges pharmacists to offer patients the opportunity to substitute a cheaper generic equivalent, when a more expensive product has been prescribed. Reference pricing involves setting a common reimbursement price for selected groups of interchangeable medicines. Reference pricing coupled with generic substitution provides patients with an incentive to opt for the cheapest available product.
The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has been asked by the Department of Health to prioritise consideration of the classes of medicines that give rise to the greatest costs. Classes identified include statins, proton pump inhibitors, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers. Twenty active substances have been selected, which are: Atorvastatin, anastrazole, candesartan, clopidogrel, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, lercanidipine, losartan, olanzapine, omeprazole, pantoprazole, perindopril, pravastatin, quetiapine, rabeprazole, ramipril, risperidone, rosuvastatin, simvastatin and valsartan. For each active substance the IMB will publish and maintain a list of interchangeable medicines on their website following a consultation process. Atorvastatin will be the first agent that will be included on the list. Two to three agents will follow each month thereafter.
Further information is available on the Department of Health’s website at http://www.dohc.ie/issues/reference_pricing/, and on the IMB’s website at http://www.imb.ie/EN/Human-Medicines/Generic-and-Interchangeable-Medicines.aspx