State's medicines bill is double what we spend on defence – health minister

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill's comments are echoed by health economist who warned that Ireland paying high prices for medicines 'does more harm than good'

Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said Ireland's spend on drugs in hospitals will be up to €4bn this year, while 'the whole Department of Justice budget is about €6bn for everything'. Picture: Bryan Brophy

The State’s medicines bill is twice the defence budget and has to be “managed and reasonable”, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said.

And a health economist has warned that paying high prices for medicines “does more harm than good”, when other care loses out.