Malta’s Out Of Stock Medicine List Hasn’t Been Updated In Over Seven Weeks Despite Transparency Pledge
It has been over seven weeks since the Maltese authorities published an out-of-stock medication list despite their pledge to update it every week.
The Health Ministry’s website states that the list will be published every Tuesday by noon as a sign of the government’s commitment towards patient-centricity and “transparent proactiveness” in ensuring patients’ needs are being timely addressed.
However, although the website includes regular – often weekly – updates dating back to 2014, it hasn’t been updated since 7th November, over seven weeks ago.
Back then, 25 medications that fall under the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) scheme were listed as being out of stock, including Insulin aspart, Promethazine and codeine phosphate.
Lovin Malta has sent questions to the Health Ministry to clarify why the list hasn’t been updated in so long.
Yesterday Health Minister Chris Fearne sought to play down concerns after the Nationalist Party raised the alarm that several medicines are out of stock.
Fearne said that while 25 out of 27 EU countries have registered medicine shortages in recent days, the PN had raised the alarm about several medicines that are actually in stock.
However, his statement didn’t respond to the PN’s criticism that the website hasn’t been updated since 7th November and didn’t include an updated version of the medicines which are currently out of stock.
Cover photo: Health Minister Chris Fearne
Do you think the health authorities should be more transparent?
READ NEXT: Maltese Bike-Sharing App Nextbike To Close Down For Good In Blow To Cyclists
