But it also highlights a broader question of the correct balance between patient care and the management of public funds. Blister packs, or monitored dosage systems, have for years been supplied through community pharmacies to help patients – especially older people and those with cognitive impairments – manage complex medication regimens safely. Opposition politicians and advocacy groups were swift to decry the phasing out of State funding as both ill-timed and insensitive. That should involve informed input from patient groups, clinicians, pharmacists and health economists, and be grounded in a precise understanding of when and how blister packs truly benefit patient safety. In the complex interplay of public funding, private provision and diverse patient needs that characterises Ireland’s health services, anomalies are to be expected.

Source: The Irish Times December 20, 2025 08:01 UTC