No political will to make crucial adjustments

Like a lot of people, I am convinced that our politicians actually think that we are all idiots complete with the memory span of goldfish. I’d like to think differently but the list of items that support this argument is endless.

Take for instance the Government’s approach to the price of drugs. On the one hand we are told that the minister has instructed the HSE to reduce the price of drugs by using more generic and off-patent drugs rather than proprietary and branded. However, on the other hand the State has agreed with the generic manufacturers that they can charge up to 98% of the price of the patented branded product.

It does not take an Einstein to understand what most companies will do. So why are we surprised when we go to places like Spain and Portugal and even dear old Blighty, and find that drug prices there are so much less than here.