Payments from State earn pharmacist €4 million

PHARMACISTS earned figures ranging from €4,000 to €4 million last year under drug reimbursement schemes.

The money paid by the State to pharmacists includes dispensing fees and drug costs. Pharmacists currently receive a fee-per-item (of €3.27 — €18.00) for dispensing drugs under the medical card scheme GMS and a 50% markup on drugs dispensed under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) as well as a fixed fee, usually €2.86 per item.

Details of the national payments to pharmacists are contained in the Primary Care Reimbursement Service report for 2006, due for publication this week. The figures reflect income and not profits. The report does not contain the cost to pharmacists of purchasing drugs, nor does it reflect overheads.