Deregulation to have little effect on chemist prices, says IPU

THE cost of goods sold in chemist shops will not be lowered by the proposed opening up of the market, the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) insisted last night.

The IPU was responding to a report which revealed the Pharmacy Review Group will be recommending a radical shake-up of the business here later this week. This proposed overhaul includes allowing pharmacists trained abroad to open up shops here and limiting the share of the market which multinational companies can secure.

IPU chief executive Seamus Feely said deregulation of the pharmacy market will have little impact on prices because there is very little scope for new chemist shops to open here.