The PN has said that patients are being given a new type of ADHD medication which is coming with instructions which are only in Croatian, meaning that patients are not able to become aware of what possible side effects they may face.

“Patients continue to suffer,” the PN said, because the government is “skimping” on medicines.

“The PN expects the Government of the slogan Is-Saħħa lill-Maltin (Health to the Maltese) to stop being stingy with its expenditure on medicines,” the party said.

It said that “it is a well-known fact” that in recent years the Government has tried to economise on medicines by distributing generic drugs which are often less effective than the specific ones that used to be given previously.

The most recent victims are people taking medication for ADHD, the party said.

It said that until recently, these individuals were being given the medicine Concerta, but in recent weeks, when they went to collect their medication from the pharmacies, they were given another medicine instead called Mefeda.

“The people taking this medicine, including children and young people, are being given pills with information supplied only in Croatian. This means that those taking the pills, and their relatives, do not know what the possible side effects might be,” the PN said.

The party noted that Maltese law requires that medicines distributed to patients in Malta and Gozo must include all instructions and information in English.

The PN questioned: “Where are the authorities who are supposed to be monitoring the medicines distributed in our country, even by the Government itself, when these are not in line with regulations? Who is safeguarding the health of the Maltese people if the authorities tasked with doing so are failing?”

The PN said that this is not the only failure by the Government when it comes to medicines. “The fact that patients are being given inferior drugs is leading many, pensioners among them, to have to pay out of pocket for the medication they need in order to care for their health properly. Many medicines are out-of-stock, with patients having to either wait and go without, or buy alternatives from pharmacies,” it said.

“This Government, which so proudly boasts about a strong economy, seems to find all the money it needs for its inner circle, but when it comes to the people’s health, it dithers.”

The PN called on the Government to recognise what the real priorities are and to invest in the health of the Maltese people with concrete action, not just billboards.

The statement was signed by PN MPs Adrian Delia and Ian Vassallo.

Opposition is 'detached' from medicine realities - PL

The Labour Party said in reply that the Opposition is completely detached from the realities of medicines and the pharmaceutical industry during these times.

"It should be recalled that when the POYC system was introduced there were 191 types of medicine in this scheme. Today the total amounted to 815 products. From January 2024 to date, 32 new medicines have been introduced. In recent years, a Labour Government has increased expenditure in a POYC medicines scheme from €3 million in 2013 to €25 million this year (an 800% gap)," the PL said.

"The majority of pharmaceuticals used to control ADHD conditions have long been known and registered as scarce medicines worldwide. As a result, many countries where these medicines are manufactured are imposing rigid export controls," it added.

The PL said that despite all this, the CPSU department together with the Malta Medicines Authority are managing to obtain a sufficient supply of these medicines for our country. The Government has been and will continue to procure such medicines from European markets through emergency procedures (ERUs), as this is the only practical means to guarantee a source of medicines. The Government's main priority is for these medicines to reach people in need on time. The Government guarantees the quality and effectiveness of these medicines and demands that a satisfactory translation be provided digitally, the PL said.

"This scenario shows the wisdom of the Maltese Government, which in European fora insists that in the first place on a strategy in favour of joint procurement, which is essential for small countries with a small market like Malta. The Government is also insisting on an English translation for every medicine sold at the European Block," the party added.