New proposals to widen access to medicines before Cabinet

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly also wants to amend the law to support vaccination programmes by allowing the administration of vaccines by a wider range of suitable qualified professionals. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

People will be able to get some products which are currently prescription-only without a script under a broad range of measures being proposed by the Health Minister.

Stephen Donnelly is to seek approval to draft legislation that will also address shortages in medicine, which has affected commonly used medicines including antibiotics, and drugs used to treat diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure.