Aspirin scripts on medical card cost €5.1m per year

Aspirin is the most commonly prescribed drug under the general medical card scheme (GMS), with 2.5 million scripts written each year at a cost of €5.1m.

Medications for tackling excess acid reflux and lowering cholesterol cost in excess of €200m annually, and account for over 20% of entire scheme costs.

Figures from 2010 show acid reflux pills cost €88m and were prescribed 3.2m times. Drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol cost €113m and accounted for 12% of the cost.