Immediate action needed on medicine prices

The long-standing arguments relating to the vast discrepancies in the prices of medicine when compared to other EU countries (or the rest of the world for that matter) are compelling and warrant immediate addressing.

Surely, on this vital subject regarding medicine prices, the government must intervene and can no longer turn a blind eye (patches to cover such are also much more expensive here in Malta). Surely, it must apply the principle of the free trade market to the medicine importers who have long determined prices that in effect hold the country's sick and needy to ransom.

We urgently require a cost-controlling and fair pricing authority to monitor and regulate the cost of these vital medicines and not allow these importers to profiteer from distressed people and their abso-lute dependency on medicines.

This iniquitous situation must cease forthwith as a reasonable profit from business is one thing, but to take advantage of indisposed and highly dependent people is cruel and unjust.

Action is called for with immediate effect.