The Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) has said pharmacists are considering withdrawing from the medical card scheme from the beginning of next month if the Health Service Executive (HSE) proceeds with plans to reduce the amount by which it reimburses them for drugs from that date.
Darragh O'Loughlin, treasurer of the IPU, said pharmacists had received financial advice that for them to dispense drugs under the medical card scheme from that date would be a loss-making exercise.
He called on the HSE to postpone implementing the cost-cutting plan until agreement had been reached with pharmacists on a new contract.
Negotiations are taking place between lawyers for the IPU and the HSE under the chairmanship of Bill Shipsey SC on how talks between the sides on new contracts could proceed without breaching competition legislation. The HSE has said cutting the amount it reimburses pharmacies for drugs will save €100 million a year.
Ross Hattaway of the HSE's corporate pharmaceutical unit said he hoped the talks on a new contract with pharmacists could be concluded by the December 1st deadline for the introduction of the revised reimbursement scheme.
He also said talks with the IPU had been going on for six months and delaying the implementation of the revised scheme would cost the HSE €8 million a month. However, he did not rule out a short postponement.
Mr Hattaway pointed out that the HSE centrally had not been given any formal notice pharmacists planned to withdraw from the scheme. If they planned to do so, they would, he said, under their contracts, have to give three months' notice so patients could find an alternative service.
There was huge controversy last month when a number of pharmacists temporarily withdrew from the methadone dispensing scheme.