The Regional Secretary for Health visited today the pharmacy of the Ponta Delgada hospital, marking the entry into operation of the service providing single dose medicines.

Speaking at the occasion, Miguel Correia said that "this measure will allow significant savings to patients" as they will only have to buy the amount of medicine they actually need.

In many cases, the medicine prescribed is only available in large packages, but the patient only needs ten or twenty pills. The fact is that we all have at home several packages of medicines that were not fully used.

"Thus, people will pay less because they only buy the amount of medicine they need and the Region, in turn will not subsidise medicines that will eventually go to waste," stated Miguel Correia.
 
As for the impact of this measure on the market, the Secretary for Health reminded that this issue has already been discussed at the Regional Legislative Assembly upon the approval of the legislation regulating these matters. The government official stressed that the single dose was also stipulated for pharmacies in the Azores and there are reasons to believe that they will join this initiative, for example, in the treatment of chronic patients by creating packages with the medication for each day.

The dispensing of single dose medicines is now available at the pharmacy of the Ponta Delgada hospital only for patients who receive treatment at the emergency room. This measure will be extended to outpatients or patients with hospital discharge by March.

Single dose medicines will be available at the Angra do Heroísmo hospital from February 1.

According to the legislation approved, healthcare centres may to dispense single dose medicines. The decision will be made according to the assessment made at the end of this year.

On the occasion, the director of pharmaceutical services explained that the procedures defined in the preparation of single dose medicines that ensure their complete safety.

Furthermore, the Ponta Delgada Hospital already has a vast experience in this field as this heath facility has been providing single dose medicines to admitted patients since 1988. This initiative covers 300 beds from 16 hospital services.