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[Press Release: March 4th, 2002] GREENS SUPPORT PHARMACIST'S OPPOSITION TO DEREGULATION OF PHARMACY SECTOR !The Green Party has expressed its support for the pharmacist's campaign of opposition to the deregulation of the pharmacy sector.The recent decision by the Minister for Health and Children, Michael Martin, to revoke the 1996 Pharmacy Regulations in the middle of a formal review process initiated just two months beforehand by the Minister himself, has been described by the Irish Pharmacy Union as "reprehensible and irresponsible".According to the Green Party Joint Health Spokesperson, Deirdre de Burca, the Minister and his Department have known since 1998 that there was a legal doubt about these regulations."The Minister could have introduced emergency legislation to deal with this matter" she says. "Instead, he abolished the regulations without any regard to the consequences of his decision for the quality of services or the impact on patients and consumers". "The pharmacy sector can now be taken over by large corporates, retailers and foreign owned multinationals" says de Burca. "Encouraging open competition, whereby chains of pharmacies can set up throughout Ireland will certainly damage local pharmacies in the community. There is also the risk that opening up competition within the pharmacy sector will actually lead to the closure of rural pharmacies, with new pharmacies being established in the more economically viable areas". Councillor de Burca agrees with the pharmacists claim that the impact of deregulation on prices for the consumer will be negligible because the State fixes the price of prescription medicines, and pharmacies already compete with other retailers on a large range of over-the- counter medicines. This leaves a range of pharmacy-only products where pharmacists compete with one another. De Burca adds "the Green Party believes that pharmacy services, if they are to be effective, must be available as locally as possible to people, and staffed by pharmacists who build up a personal relationship with their customers. We also believe that where profit is the sole motivation for operating services this has a detrimental effect on the interests of consumers. The Irish pharmacy is not merely a business venture; it forms an integral part of our primary care system. The pharmacist is often the first port of call for many who don't have a medical card and are looking for medical advice. The customer gets advice and reassurance from the pharmacist". The Green Party supports the call of the Irish Pharmacy Union to the Minister for Health to put a stay on his decision pending the outcome of the deliberations of the Review Group. For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org. |