Smuggled sleeping pills trigger Irish price alarm

WHILE watching RTÉ’s TV show Customs recently, there was a segment which showed the seizure of “prescription drugs” (sleeping pills) which had been “bought legally” over the counter in Spain and an attempt had been made to smuggle them through Dublin airport.

The customs officer on the show was heard to say: “These drugs may not be bought in Ireland except by doctor’s prescription, whereas in Spain these (named) drugs are sold in the pharmacies for one quarter of the price charged in Ireland”. If this is true, it is an indictment of unfair overcharging imposed on ill Irish people. Presumably a Spanish pharmacy can make a profit on drugs when selling to the “smuggler”.

If the smuggler is successful in getting these drugs through Irish customs and makes a profit on their sale with an acceptable (double) mark-up, then how much profit can an Irish pharmacist make when selling/dispensing the same type of drugs (at about twice the price that the smuggler might charge, according to the customs officer) to an Irish patient who in many cases has already paid a doctor at least €50 to write the prescription for those drugs.