A Clonmel based pharmacist says the prices charged in some chemists are “unjustifiable.”
Ronan Quirke who owns Quirke’s Pharmacy on O’Connell Street was reacting to research looking at 12 of the most commonly prescribed drugs in Ireland, with aspirin costing €5 more in the most expensive pharmacies.
However, he also feels the research is misleading as the majority of pharmacies are not charging these high prices for their medications.
Ronan says that if your prices are considerably more than the other chemists in your area you won’t stay in business because people will go elsewhere.
“It makes a good headline… you wouldn’t stay in business people vote with their feet.”
“People do have the opportunity to look for alternative sources for their medicines.”
Ronan has also questioned the manner with which recent research was carried out.
The research noted that of the 1,529 pharmacies contacted, 11.5 percent would not disclose the prices for prescriptions.
However, Ronan says that when he was contacted he was not informed that it was as part of a study.
He says there should be transparency from pharmacists but they should be told where the information they provide is going.
“At no point was I told I was participating in a research project and no point was I asked to consent to a research project.”
“So I am afraid Mr. Larkin if you are looking at transparency you may want to have been a little more transparent yourself.”
