• Pharmacists Welcome Policy Shift on HRT But Warn the Scheme Is Unworkable Without a Fair Fee
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) acknowledges the Government’s decision to fully fund Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for women, including a professional service fee for pharmacies. This change is the direct result of sustained advocacy by pharmacists on behalf of women following the 2025 Budget announcement. It reflects a shared ambition to remove cost barriers to essential menopause care.
However, the IPU has warned that the proposed professional service fee of €5 per medicine is not viable. This fee, introduced during the period of financial emergency, has been frozen for 17 years. It no longer reflects the cost of delivering safe, regulated and professional care.
The Department of Health itself acknowledged the inadequacy of the €5 fee in 2022 when it introduced the Free Contraception Scheme. Following consultation with the IPU, a professional service fee of €6.50 was agreed for that initiative. The services provided under the proposed HRT scheme are more clinically complex and like all pharmacy services are professionally delivered. There is no reason why these two women’s health programmes should be treated differently.
IPU President Tom Murray said: “The IPU welcomes the Government’s stated ambition to improve access to HRT. However, the proposed €5 professional service fee, a rate now in its third decade, is simply not viable. This fee was already deemed inadequate as far back as 2022 for a similar women’s health initiative.”
“Asking pharmacies to move from a private model to a State-funded one without addressing inflation, rising service costs or the clinical complexity involved is neither fair, sustainable nor workable. Community pharmacies are ready to deliver this important service, but not at a financial loss. Without a fair and sustainable model, this scheme risks falling short of its aim.”
Throughout months of engagement, the IPU has put forward a practical and fully implementable solution. The IPU HRT Community Drug Scheme, supported by a professional service fee of €6.50 per medicine.
Aligning the professional service fee for HRT with the existing Contraception Scheme would bring coherence to publicly funded women’s health services. It would also support smooth patient transitions and give pharmacists the confidence to participate. This would help guarantee access for all women, regardless of location.
Pharmacists have led the call for HRT to be made freely available to women. Now the Government must ensure that this policy is delivered in a way that works in practice, not just in principle.
Note to Editor:
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals. Medicine dispensing is a clinical, patient-centred process. It relies on the pharmacist’s expertise in medicines, their trusted relationship with the patient and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Each HRT medicine dispensed involves a series of safety checks, clinical reviews, patient counselling and documentation. All of this is part of a regulated and accountable care process.
