Obesity and diabetes cause €168m overrun

IRELAND’S soaring obesity and diabetes levels are being blamed for much of the projected €168 million cost overrun in the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) drug subsidy budget this year.

Every year the Government provides funding for the state’s drug schemes based on the previous year’s cost growth.

While the volume of drug prescribing, particularly for cholesterol-reducing and diabetic drugs, has increased in recent years the budget provision has not kept pace with expenditure.