Pharmacists seek 'meaningful dialogue'

The Malta Chamber of Pharmacists has complained that its efforts to hold meetings with the health authorities regarding the new Medicines Bill have been repeatedly stalled by the authorities, with postponements and cancellations before and after the bill was published.

It said the bill, now before parliament, made no provision to guarantee transparency, accountability and review.

Despite verbal assurances made by the government regarding the intention to retain the principle of geo-demographic organisation in the granting of pharmacy licences, this principle had not been entrenched in the legislation.

The chamber said it was flabbergasted by the arguments made by the authorities in a feeble attempt to defend the proviso to article 79(2) that allowed dispensing of medicines by persons other than pharmacists and places other than pharmacies. It said it was of great concern that the authorities could not clearly distinguish between professional dispensing of medicines by pharmacists from a pharmacy and the administration of medicines within the responsibilities of other health care professionals and the self-administration of medicines by patients.

The chamber reiterated its call on the government to suspend the ongoing debate in parliament and open a serious and meaningful dialogue with it.