New agreement set to unlock earlier access to generic, biosimilar and value-added medicines to
strengthen supply chains, secure access for Irish patients, and deliver value for the State.
Medicines for Ireland (MFI), the representative body for Ireland’s generic, biosimilar and value-added
medicines sector, today (20.01.26) welcomed the announcement by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll
MacNeill TD of a new Framework Agreement in Principle with the State on the supply and pricing of
medicines.
The Agreement in Principle represents a significant step forward in strengthening Ireland’s medicines
supply system, ensuring continuity of access for patients, and supporting the long-term sustainability of
the health service. Developed in close partnership with the Department of Health, the Department of
Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation, and the HSE, the Framework
establishes a modern, forward-looking model for medicines supply and access.
Under the Agreement in Principle, a series of measures have been endorsed to enhance Ireland’s
medicines ecosystem. These include:
- Strengthening security of supply through measures designed to reduce the risk of medicine
shortages for Irish patients. - Encouraging earlier off-patent launches, ensuring more timely access to generic and biosimilar
medicines through tiered-pricing and improved reimbursement processes. - Supporting financial sustainability for the State by enabling earlier adoption of best-value
biologics and facilitating the introduction of value-added medicines where they bring meaningful
benefit. - Promoting greater competition and market resilience, particularly in areas vulnerable to supply
disruption, by encouraging companies to license and launch products in Ireland rather than rely
on exempt medicinal products (EMPs).
“The measures outlined today, including supporting earlier off‑patent launches to reducing reliance on exempt medicinal products and enabling faster adoption of best‑value biologics, are precisely the types
Paul Neill, Chair of Medicines for Ireland
of system improvements MFI has championed for years.“
Speaking following the announcement, Paul Neill, Chair of Medicines for Ireland, said: “Today’s
Agreement in Principle marks an important milestone for Ireland’s medicines supply framework. The
measures outlined today, including supporting earlier off‑patent launches to reducing reliance on
exempt medicinal products and enabling faster adoption of best‑value biologics, are precisely the types
of system improvements MFI has championed for years. These reforms will help reduce the risk of
shortages, enhance suppliers’ predictability, and ensure the health service benefits from the value
generated by our sector, which can be reinvested in the health system.”
Mr Neill added: “This Agreement in Principle acknowledges the vital role that our sector plays in driving
value, diversity of supply, and long‑term sustainability. It also creates new opportunities to bring forward
innovative value‑added medicines that can deliver meaningful improvements for patients and the
healthcare system alike. We welcome the State’s constructive engagement throughout this process and
look forward to working together to finalise the agreement in the weeks ahead.”
ENDS
About Medicines for Ireland
Founded in 2016, Medicines for Ireland (MFI) is the established industry voice within the Irish healthcare
system. It represents the pivotal role and interests of manufacturers and suppliers of generic, biosimilar,
and value-added medicines. With MFI members supplying the majority of medicine in Ireland to the
HSE and patients directly, it is committed to effecting real change and reforms that guarantee patients
have access to the medicines they need at affordable prices. MFI members form a key part of an
efficient supply chain which ensures patients can access the medicines they need in a timely manner.
