Action needed now on medicine prices

The Times (November 16) reported that as far back as 2006 the Working Committee on the Pricing of Medical Products felt it was its responsibility to ask importers of medicine to voluntarily reduce prices of items found to be higher than the EU average. Apparently the voluntary mechanism is not working, so in his Budget speech the Finance Minister proposed that mandatory measures might be necessary.

It would appear this has irked Reginald Fava who chairs the Chamber of Commerce's healthcare business section. Speaking on behalf of medicine importers, distributors and retailers, he is quoted to have said: "We never accepted price control in the past and neither will we accept it in the present or in the future." What kind of arrogant statement is that?

The Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises general director, Vince Farrugia, was just as charming when he also voiced disagreement and is reported to have indicated that if the government carried out its proposal, the chamber would direct its members to withdraw the products affected by price control, until forced pricing is removed.

Now that seems to be pretty defiant and a direct challenge to the government! Who do these two gentlemen and the groups they represent think they are?

Being given three years to fall in line with EU prices was, indeed, a generous and soft approach. In hindsight, it seems to have been a waste of time at great expense to the user of medicine. Through their representatives the medicine importers have now shown their true colours.

They apparently never had any intention of conforming to EU pricing and see nothing wrong in continuing to gouge unfortunate people who require medicine.

The government should now act assertively and protect the public by cutting this heartless bunch down to size.

Without consultation or further delay, the Budget proposal should immediately be implemented for, yes, many medicine products are ridiculously priced and may be obtained elsewhere at a fraction of the local cost.