Medicine shortages are widespread in Ireland and could pose a risk to the health of patients here, the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has warned.

It said that a recent survey of 200 pharmacists revealed that these shortages have increased significantly in the last year. The union has called on the Department of Health to intervene.

According to the findings of the survey, almost all pharmacists (98%) have noticed a shortage of medicines over the last year and 91% have seen an increase in these shortages over the same period.

At least four in 10 pharmacists feel that these shortages have adversely affected the health outcomes of some patients.

The survey also noted that pharmacists spend, on average, eight hours per month attempting to resolve medicine shortages.

Drugs which are currently in short supply include Lyrica for pain relief, Cymbalta for depression and Chloromycetin Eye Ointment.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, IPU president, Rory O'Donnell said that there is no sign of an improvement with this problem ‘at least in the short-term'.

"More and more time is being spent by pharmacists in addressing medicine shortages issues, time that would be better spent tending to the needs of patients. The longer the situation is allowed to continue, the greater the impact on patients' health," he said.

He noted that another problem is the fact that pharmacists often receive ‘little or no warning that these medicines are going out of stock and there is often little information on when these stocks will be replenished'.

"Ultimately, it is up to the Department of Health to ensure that patients have continuity of supply of medicines and we would ask that steps be taken as a matter of urgency to solve the existing problems of medicine shortages and to ensure that further shortages do not occur," Mr. O' Donnell said.

Responding to the survey, the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), which represents companies that produce branded medicines in Ireland, pointed out that the Supply Agreement between it and the State, which was renewed last year, ‘defines the mechanisms for the supply of medicines to Irish patients'.

"Key provisions in the agreement are designed to ensure as far as is possible, continuity of supply, but from time to time disruptions to supply in the market place can emerge with individual products," it admitted.

It said that these can arise as a result of manufacturing processes, ‘but in more recent times, shortages have emerged due to the trading of products across European markets which occurs when the price in one country has been pushed well below that in other countries'.

It added that while IPHA member companies work hard to secure the availability of medicines for Irish patients, ‘these cross border trading issues are beyond their control'.