New laws have been signed by the Minister for Health which will allow trained members of the public to administer life-saving medicines.

A number of emergency medicines are included in the new regulations, including adrenaline auto-injectors, better known as epipens, for the treatment of anaphylaxis, salbutamol for the treatment of asthma attacks, glucagon for the treatment of diabetic hypoglycaemia and glycerol trinitrate for the treatment of unstable angina (severe chest pain).

Under the new rules, organisations, such as workplaces, colleges and sports venues, will be allowed to hold these medicines and arrange for staff to be trained in their proper use.

Between 2007 and 2013, almost 17,000 died in Ireland from a heart attack, 359 died following an acute asthma attack, 17 from hypoglycaemia and four from severe allergic shock.

Courses for lay people will be available in the coming months and will be accredited by the Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council, which accredits paramedics.

Pharmacists will also be able to supply and administer these medicines in emergency circumstances. Courses for them will be provided by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland in the coming months.

"These is an important new healthcare initiative which has the potential to save lives. These new arrangements do not in any way change the existing ‘good Samaritan' rule which allows any member of the public to assist a person in distress to administer a medicine which has been prescribed to them. Equally, these regulations in no way diminish the responsibility or the importance of people continuing to carry the medicines that they need to manage their own health needs," commented Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar.

He has also signed new laws which expand the range of vaccines that can be administered by pharmacists. Since 2011, pharmacists have been allowed to administer the flu vaccine to patients. Under these new laws, they will now also be able to offer the shingles and pneumococcal vaccine.

Pneumococcal infection is the most common cause of pneumonia in Ireland.

Research suggests that the provision of vaccines through pharmacies increases uptake.

These vaccines are currently only available from GPs or hospitals , but they are expected to be available from pharmacies in early 2016.

The move was welcomed by the Irish Pharmacy Union, which represents some 2,100 pharmacists nationwide. It has been campaigning for this ‘over a long number of years'.

"Extending the vaccination service to include pneumococcal infection and shingles is an acknowledgement of the success of the current flu vaccination service delivered in pharmacies. Some 23% of patients vaccinated in pharmacy against the flu during the last flu season had never been vaccinated before and 83% of these patients were in the ‘at risk' category," commented IPU president Kathy Maher.