Ireland beats Europe for prices of branded drugs

The pharmaceutical industry here has claimed wholesale prices for a host of branded drugs are now cheaper in Ireland than in other European countries.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association said prices for patented products in Ireland were calculated as an average of prices in nine EU countries.

A spokesman said the price of most medicines across the board had come down by at least 10% since November, when a deal was reached between the association, the Department of Health, and the HSE.