According to reports, the shortage of vital medicines which pharmacists warned about has finally hit patients with different health conditions. The patients are said to be suffering as they have spent about 2-weeks waiting for their drugs.

Darragh O' Loughlin, President of the Irish Pharmacy Union, in the union’s annual meeting, has stated that though there have always been problems with supply, the situation which is getting worse, could be related to the fall in the prices of medicines.

However, this fall may have urged drug manufacturers to distribute drugs to countries with higher prices.

Also, he stated that the Health Service Executives needed to be intense in handling manufacturers and making sure that they sign-up to a public service agreement, to enable sustained supply.

The affected drugs supplied were said to be, chemotherapy drugs, contraceptives, thyroid medicines, tablets for diabetes, anti-asthmatic medicine for children, some antibiotics, anti-psychotics and some blood pressure tablets.

Dr. Neil Boyle, Vice-President of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, has also stated that the problem could be owing to pharmacist getting their drugs outside the country.

Moreover, He has asked manufacturers in the country to start handling the supply of drugs that companies outside the country stop supplying, to curb limited supply of drugs.