MaltaMedia.com

The consumer and competition department said it is reinforcing the published list of medicine on which there has been a price decline from 6 to 67%. This list published on the 2nd of July holds 62 medicine on which the price reduction must be effected immediately on new stock. However Maltese MEP John Attard Montalto raised the issue in the European Parliament and insisted that prices are still more than double those in Belgium for example.

The consumer and competition department said that various controls are underway at pharmacies in which the medicine is being sold. The medicine bought before, can be sold at their original price so that there is no loss by pharmacies owners, and the controls are aimed to confirm the number of medicine bought with the inflated price so that only the old stock is sold with the original pricing. Officials from the department said that these controls are also aimed to investigate the prices of other highly consumed medicine and to target consumer complaints.

The list of 62 highly consumed medicines which target a vast number of conditions including high cholesterol is aimed to increase as highlighted by the department officials and it is targeted to achieve prices which are similar to other EU countries and achieve long term stability of such prices.

Labour MEP John Attard Montalto in a separate statement said, in the European parliament, that it is only 2% of the total medicine that is being targeted and medicine such as Zocor 20 mg are still 240% more expensive in Malta than Brussels even with the reduced price.

Montalto added that the efforts made are notable however they are not enough and the public must not only be protected against health conditions by education and correct facilities but should also be guarded from inflated prices if they need medicines.

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