A number of essential medicines, some used to treat potentially life-threatening conditions, are currently unavailable in the State. This leaves vulnerable patients unable to fill their prescriptions.
Irish pharmacists have run out of their stocks of thyroxine, trimethoprim and low-dose aspirin, the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) has said.
All three drugs are classified as "essential medicines" by the World Health Association.
Thyroxine, used to treat thyroid gland problems, is taken by "tens of thousands" of patients, said Mr Karl Hilton, vice-president of the IPU.
"There's absolutely no alternative to this drug. Without it, sufferers' energy levels get so low that it seriously impairs their quality of life." Trimethoprim is an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections. While there are alternatives, they are generally higher-strength antibiotics which are more expensive and do not suit all patients.
Low dose aspirin has been removed from the Irish market, the IPU said. The drug is used to help prevent heart attacks.
Thyroxine users will be without their medication until August 11th, said Antigen, Irish suppliers of the drug.
"The 50mcg dose used isn't available at the moment due to production difficulties. It's very unfortunate that this happened and we do realise that there are patients behind those prescriptions," said Antigen's managing director, Mr Dermot Lynch.
Antigen is working with the Department of Health to make 25mcg doses of the drug available at the end of next week, he said.
Bristol-Myers Squibb, the pharmaceutical company which supplied trimethoprim, said it is discontinuing the drug because of declining demand.
"The product is very old, it's been on the market for 20 years. Ireland was the last country still being supplied with it," said marketing director Mr Philip Kerney.
The company notified Irish doctors and pharmacists that the product was being discontinued, he said. "Any suggestion that this has caused a major problem with patient health is one we wouldn't agree with."
Low-dose aspirin, which was manufactured by a number of pharmaceutical companies, has "completely disappeared" from the Irish market, said Mr Hilton.
"The discontinuation of this drug is lethal. There's no low-cost alternative. You could get the higher-dose tablets and break them down but this medication is typically taken by older people who often can't manage that."
It was rare that pharmacists got any advance warning that a drug won't be available, he said, despite agreement between the Department of Health and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association that 12 months notice must be given before a drug is withdrawn.
A spokesman for the Department said when it became aware of a shortage, it immediately contacted the companies concerned to remind them of their obligation under the IPHA agreement. The Department was aware of the current problem and was working to arrange alternative supplies, the spokesman said.
