The Northern Ireland Health Minister, Edwin Poots MLA, has indicated that he is minded to recommend the reintroduction of prescription charges in the Province.
The charge could be as little as fifty pence per prescription. It would be used to fund life-saving drugs for us all.
Mr Poots believes the charge, which initially could raise several million pounds, could pay for drugs which treat cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
Anti-TNF therapy (tumour necrosis factor) is one of a new class of drugs that target specific proteins in the immune system known to increase arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
Presently, there are 400 people waiting in NI for the anti-inflammatory TNF drug, compared to England where waiting lists for the same medication do not exist.
I believe that very few would object to such a charge being applied.
Indeed, a small price to pay.
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