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Health Minister James Reilly and Primary Care Minister Alex White today announced immediate reductions in prices for atorvastatin products, which are used to control cholesterol.

Minister Reilly said:

The introduction of this first reference price, for a medicine which is used to control cholesterol, represents a major step in ensuring lower prices are paid for these medicines. The new reference prices for atorvastatin products means the HSE now pay 70% less for these products compared to May 2013. Patients will save on the cost of their medication and taxpayers will benefit from the reduced prices paid by the HSE.

Minister White said:

The introduction of reference prices will ensure that generic medicine prices in Ireland will fall towards European norms. It will safeguard value for money for the taxpayer and will mean that prices are set at levels which facilitate – not jeopardise – supply of these products in Ireland

Reference prices are being introduced on a phased basis. The reference price is the price the HSE will reimburse to pharmacies for groups of interchangeable medicines. The Irish Medicines Board puts interchangeable medicines together into groups and the HSE may then set reference prices for these groups. Atorvastatin products were addressed first because they are the highest cost group of products reimbursed by the HSE. The HSE is now setting a reference price for esomeprazole products - used for the treatment of stomach conditions - and it is planned that prices for this group of products will be put in place by the beginning of December.

An information and education campaign, aimed at both health professionals and the public, is continuing. Patient information leaflets are being delivered to all community pharmacies and GP surgeries and further information is available at www.hse.ie/generics.