The Irish Pharmacy Union call for exemptions for new charge on medical card prescriptions.
A 50 cent charge on every item purchased on a medical card was announced in the last budget and came into force today.
Pharmacists have called on the Minister for Health and Children to exempt certain groups of people from the new 50 cent charge. The Irish Pharmacy Union has said homeless patients, people with a psychiatric illness, heroin addicts, and older people living in nursing homes should not have to pay the levy. They say it may prevent some patients from taking their medicines.
Grainne O'Leary, Irish Pharmacy Union, says the group has appealed to the minister to broaden the exemption group. Dr Eamon Shanahan, a GP in Farranfore, County Kerry, says that the challenge is that many patients have multiple problems and live on the margins of society.
It is expected that revenue from the levy will generate around 25 million euro.
The charge is capped at 10 euro a month per person or family and will not apply to children in care or those using the drugs payment and long term illness schemes.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 1 October 2010. The reporter is Fergal Bowers.
