Only 18% of drugs dispensed in Ireland are generic brands. The Irish Pharmacy Union says the cost of medicine can be high here because Ireland is a small country and cannot buy in bulk like others.

It is holding its annual conference in Co. Kildare today. It will discuss issues including regulation and the poor economic climate.

A major survey on public attitudes to pharmacists will also be published this weekend to coincide with the conference.

Pharmacists say they will call on the Minister for Health to extend the role of the pharmacist to provide additional vaccination services to patients to include pneumonia, Hepatitis B, travel vaccines and cervical cancer as part of the government healthcare strategy.

The theme of the conference is 'Building the Future' and will also discuss among other issues:

• Regulation - concern about the impact and cost of regulation to pharmacists
• Bankruptcy - the implications for pharmacists
• Emergency Hormonal Contraception - latest statistics as recorded by community pharmacists
• Counterfeit Medicines - the dangers of buying medicines over the internet

The Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care, Alex White, will open the conference on Saturday.

President of the IPU is Rory O'Donnell spoke to Breakfast here on Newstalk. He says the cheaper, generic drug market is an immature one here but will increase in time.