Irish taxpayers have had to shell out almost $25 million since 2008 to pay for medical card holders' Viagra prescriptions.
The cost for Viagra and other drugs that treat erectile dysfunction, a serious condition for middle-aged and elderly men, has increased dramatically for free medical card holders in recent years.
According to the Irish Independent, figures show that spending on medicines like Viagra and Cialis for medical card holders in 2008 was $5 million However, spending rose dramatically to $7 million in 2009 and, by 2010, had almost doubled to $9 million .
With the total budget overrun for the Health Service Executive (HSE), topping $700 million, the high cost for these types of drugs is expected to come under serious scrutiny.
On Saturday, Green Party councillor and member of the HSE West Forum Brian Meaney, questioned the cost of such drugs at a time when life and death choices are having to be made in terms of cuts.
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"We have to cut our cloth to measure. I first raised this issue when cuts were being made to cervical cancer treatment. How does it make sense to make cuts to life and death services and retain those which are simply quality of life treatments? It is about priorities," he said.
Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fail's health spokesman, disagrees, saying that erectile dysfunction is a serious medical condition and could not be dismissed a mere "quality of life issue."
"Many people take Viagra and other medicines to allow them to start a family. We have to be conscious of those difficulties before we rush into cutting it," he added.
A HSE spokeswoman said, "To ensure availability for genuine need, but to reduce the possibility of inappropriate usage, the expert group advised that the maximum reimbursable level on the GMS and Community Drugs Schemes be set at four tablets a month."
The ingredient cost for four tablets is typically around €25 to €30.
The HSE added that the Viagra pill is also prescribed for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and it is not possible to quantify how much is for treating erectile dysfunction or PAH.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.adrienrain | Dec 03, 2012, 10:37 AM EST
Erectile disfunction is NOT a serious health condition! Can people get free birth control? Because unwanted pregnancy IS a serious health condition.
seamus60 | Oct 29, 2012, 08:15 PM EDT
It gets worse they`re gonna start dishing out the morning after pill free to balance the books.
Tom Mo | Oct 29, 2012, 05:07 PM EDT
25 million? wow that's a lot of bangers......and mash.
Tom Mo | Oct 29, 2012, 04:59 PM EDT
I hear that one old Irish farmer started taking them regularly, once they were free. He said they the pills stopped him from peeing on his shoes and down his pants leg.
handsome68 | Oct 29, 2012, 02:55 PM EDT
I have a friend of Italian-French heritage. He sent this to me today:Vasectomy A man goes into the hospital for a vasectomy. Before the procedure a very attractive nurse comes in and takes his vitals, then tells him to take all of his clothes off. When he is fully undressed she instructs him to lie down on the table. The man obeys. The nurse then takes all of her clothes off and climbs on top and has her way with him. Upon the completion of the act the man catches his breath and asks what that was all about. The nurse informs the patient that studies have shown that before a vasectomy if the man has an ejaculation, he will be more relaxed and the cord is easier for the surgeon to locate and sever, thereby making the surgery safer, more efficient and quicker. The nurse then wheels the patient to the operating room. While they are going down the hall the patient looks through a window to the right and sees six men in a room masturbating. Curious, the man asks, "What are they doing in there"? The nurse responds, "They're preparing for vasectomies also, but you have Blue Cross, and they have Obama Care." =
irishamerica46 | Oct 29, 2012, 10:39 AM EDT
Cuts being made for cervical cancer treatments but give out free viagra. Is this why so many people are moving to Ireland? Oh the joys of socialized medicine!
johnshiel | Oct 29, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
as blues singers such as Albert King have intoned for decades, "the high cost of lovin'.... is gettin' higher every day....."
bobby | Oct 29, 2012, 09:48 AM EDT
That will be a Hard decision
Smyrnian | Oct 29, 2012, 09:11 AM EDT
$25 million! That's a pretty stiff price to pay :)