The Irish community pharmacy sector finds itself in a delicate position. Our growing aged population, together with an increase in lifestyle conditions means the volume of medicine dispensing in Ireland is growing every year. Clearly, the demand side of the equation works. However, approximately 80 per cent of all medicines in Ireland are dispensed to patients under one of the State’s Community Drug Schemes. Therefore, the State is the pharmacy sector’s largest customer, and this customer hasn’t increased the fees it pays to pharmacists for dispensing medicines since 2009.  Pharmacists’ costs are rising. Standard economic theory would suggest an impact…

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