Ireland “set for pharma supply crisis from Aug 1”

From Pharma Times:
Patients enrolled in Ireland’s Community Drugs Schemes may have difficulty getting their prescriptions filled from August 1, as more than 1,100 community pharmacists have said they will stop dispensing medicines under the SchemesHSE from that date.

The pharmacists’ action follows following a move by Mary Harney, the Minister for Health and Children, to cut payments to pharmacists under the Schemes by 34%. Early this week, the Health Service Executive (HSE), which is responsible for providing health and personal social services for everyone living in the Republic, will publish information on its website and in newspapers on pharmacies that will be open for Schemes business. The Executive has also urged the pharmacists to reconsider their decision.

The HSE's chief pharmacist, Kate Mulvenna, said: “we are asking pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract to assist us in ensuring minimal disruption to patients who need access to their medications. By handing over prescription records to their clients, on request, and by identifying to the HSE patients who may require extra supports, pharmacists can help ensure that their clients can continue to access their medications." ...more”