Level of Jurisdiction: National
Overview: The Irish Government changed medicine prescription rules to reduce administrative burdens on health services and reduce the need for people to visit a pharmacy.
Doctors can now email prescriptions to pharmacists using a secure electronic system called Healthmail. Prescriptions will be valid for nine months (it was previously six months).
Pharmacists can renew a prescription where it is safe and appropriate to do so. This means people may be able to renew a prescription without visiting a doctor.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the Irish Medical Council will provide guidance to pharmacists and doctors on when to renew prescriptions without a doctor visit.
The changes were made by the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. They are temporary and will be reviewed by the Minister at a later date.
Full details here: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/d80ca9-minister-for-health-signs-regulations-to-assist-with-prescriptions-d/