Bedrocan Back In Stock In Malta After A Month As Medicines Head Says Shortage Is ‘Normal’
Bedrocan-branded medical cannabis is back in stock in Malta following a shortage that lasted almost a full month and left patients without their medicine.
This is far from the first time that the island has run out of the medicine.
The latest shortage follows recorded shortages in December, 2018 and August, 2020. One patient said they had experienced even more regular shortages, saying that “more often than not, this is what we get when trying to get our medicine.”
The supplier for Bedrocan in Malta, Pharma.MT, told Lovin Malta that the strain was finally back in stock at pharmacies as of yesterday.
The regular shortages has raised serious questions about how reliable Malta’s medical cannabis prescription is, considering that the medicine may be unavailable at any time. Medicinal shortages have serious consequences on patients that make use of the medicine on a daily basis, and it’s not always feasible to find another medication to replace it.
Speaking to Lovin Malta, head of the Malta Medicines Authority Anthony Serracino Inglott said these shortages were “normal”.
“Since it is a natural product, it can easily go out of stock,” Serracino Inglott said.
Pictured above: Pedanios, another strain of medical cannabis allowed in Malta
“Shortages are normal when it comes to a natural product, either because of a bad batch or because of the product not fulfilling all requirements,” he continued.
Serracino Inglott also suggested that in the case of shortages, patients can make use of another type of medical cannabis that is currently available in Malta – the Pedanios strain.
Dr Andrew Agius, who specialises in pain treatment and is a vocal advocate for cannabis legalisation in Malta, said this could work as an option when the medicine was out of stock.
“Both strains have the same amount of THC in them, of 22%. It’s also recommended to change strains from time to time,” he told Lovin Malta.
Have you been affected by the shortage? Contact [email protected] to speak in confidence
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