A new report from the ESRI has found that the price of generic and branded pharmaceutical drugs in Ireland is higher than in most other EU countries.
The report was commissioned by the Department of Health on foot of a directive from the Troika.
It also found that while there is an increase in the use of generics, doctors are more likely to prescribe the most expensive drug available.
This ESRI report found that we pay more for both generic and branded drugs in Ireland - and that the price of both types of drugs are similar, meaning there are few savings to be made for both the State and the consumer.
Research Professor Paul Gorecki explains:
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Gorecki also spoke to Newstalk's Breakfast earlier - listen to his interview here.
The report found that doctors here tend to prescribe the most expensive drug available to patients - in contrast to doctors in the UK.
And Anne Nolan of the ESRI, one of the author's reports, says there is no clear reason why:
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