Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
30. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if consideration can be given to providing a funded scheme for blister packs for vulnerable and/or incapacitated patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5051/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, all parties agreed to introduce improved controls for phased dispensing. This will ensure that patients on high-risk medicines, such as anti-psychotics or opioids, are appropriately targeted with support.
The State has supported phased dispensing for medical card holders since 1996 for patient safety reasons and will continue to do so. Community pharmacies receive additional fees for this service.
The State does not, and has never, funded blister packs. Therefore there has been no removal of that service by the State, and I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to clarify that again.
Evidence from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) does not support improvements in health outcomes by the use of blister packs. Internationally, including from the NHS, the literature and guidance is that blister packs should be a last resort, with patients being supported by many other interventions before prescribing a blister pack.
However, I do recognise that for certain patients using them can be helpful, and they rely heavily on these products.
There are three groups of patients using blister packs. The first is those people who know they have always been paying for blister packs as a private service. The second group have been getting blister packs for free from their pharmacy. There should be no change for those two groups of patients.
The third group of patients are those where their pharmacy has been giving them blister packs for free but charging the State under phased dispensing.
I have been investigating the details of this with my Officials and I am concerned about the figures that are being presented.
The Deputy will be aware that the proposed changes for phased dispensing have been paused until the end of March 2026. This will allow Community Pharmacies to have more time to engage with their patients currently using blister packs in an individualised way.
Of course, it remains open to pharmacies to charge patients, or not, for the use of blister packs as a private service, as many currently do.
It is important where a pharmacy charges a fee for any professional service, that they provide updated information to patients in line with the new Pricing Transparency Guidelines, which came into effect on 1st December.
