Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
646. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if his Department plans to legislate to stop the dispensing of EU prescriptions for specific marginalised groups as proposed in a recent article (details supplied). [18881/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a new clinical programme for gender healthcare has been initiated by the HSE, and over the next two years an updated clinical model for gender healthcare services will be developed. The work will be informed by the best evidence based clinical care for individuals who express gender incongruence or dysphoria. Emerging and evolving international evidence, including the just published Cass report, will be reviewed as part of this work. The HSE aim to provide a wide range of services for all people with gender dysphoria, from care locally in the community to more specialised and complex care and are committed to building a service based on experience and clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion.
The role of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public by regulating pharmacists and pharmacies in line with national and EU legislation, policies, guidelines and compliance with their Code of Professional Conduct. The dispensing of EU prescriptions by Irish pharmacists is provided for under EU law (EU Healthcare Directive) and the national Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended.
While there are no specific plans to legislate to prohibit the dispensing of EU prescriptions, Department of Health officials are currently exploring the available options to enhance safety standards around online EEA prescriptions.
Regulation 9 of the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 488 of 2008) sets out the legal requirements for pharmacists on the sale and supply of prescribed medicinal products. The health, wellbeing and safety of their patients is the primary focus of every pharmacist, and it is their responsibility to ensure that medicines are supplied in a safe and effective manner that best meets the needs of the patient. Under Regulation 9, prior to dispensing and prior to the supply of a prescribed medicinal product, a registered pharmacist must review the prescription having regard to the pharmaceutical and therapeutic appropriateness of the medicine therapy for the patient. On completion of this review, the registered pharmacist is required under the regulations to offer to discuss with the patient, or with the carer of such a patient, all such matters as the pharmacist, in the exercise of his/her professional judgement, deems significant. It is also the duty of the registered pharmacist to ensure that each patient has sufficient information and advice for the correct use and storage of the prescribed medicinal product(s).
