O’Reilly claims expensive drugs deal

FINE Gael health spokesman James Reilly has stated he believes some patients are placed on expensive medicines due to deals between hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.

The accusation came at the conclusion of an Oireachtas Health committee meeting where medical sector representatives discussed the greater use of cheaper generic rather than branded medicines.

Dr Reilly said that it was his belief that in certain situations patients leaving hospital were placed on more expensive treatment options that GPs were then reluctant to substitute because the “hospital has done some sort of deal with a pharmaceutical company”.