More free medicines as list of eligible diseases grows

The number of medical conditions which entitles patients to free medicines has been doubled, potentially benefitting thousands of people who suffer from illnesses such as dementia, depression and hyperactivity disorder.

The new list of conditions, covered in Schedule V of the Social Security Act, has been updated to cover 79 chronic illnesses instead of the previous 38.

Spearheaded by Health Minister Joe Cassar, the amendments were approved by Parliament last week and form part of a reform of the free medicine system that also aims to reduce inefficiencies.

Dr Cassar said that, with the updated inventory in hand, work was in progress to draw up and approve the list of specific medicines that would become available to the patient.

“Once the medical condition is on the list, the health department will draw up a protocol to establish which medicines will be available to the patient,” he explained. The process is expected to be ready in a few months.

The extended list includes diseases and conditions, such as ADHD and mental health problems, which had not been targeted before, Dr Cassar said.

Dementia is another. Until now, Malta, along with Latvia, was the only European country that did not offer free medicines to dementia sufferers.

Diabetes patients were also added to the list and will be given 30 free syringes a month instead of the previous 10.

Patients suffering from psychiatric conditions such as chronic mood disorders, including depression, chronic neurotic disorders and psychiatric disorders, starting from a young age, will also benefit from free medicines.

On the list too are cerebral palsy, eating disorders and chromosome disorder such as Down and Turner Syndrome as well as infectious diseases like Hepatitis B and C.

“This is a government promise and is a clear example of how we aren’t frugal – especially with our patients who always come first. Medication has always been a priority and we have continued to help society – just last year we spent €2.5 million on 12 medicines for cancer,” Dr Cassar said.

The restructuring process includes the transfer of such diseases as polio, diabetes, tuberculosis and leprosy from Schedule II (Pink Card), which is given to people who are means tested, to Schedule V (Yellow Card) which is for people who suffer from a chronic disease.

“All newly diagnosed patients will be on Schedule V and receive specific medicines related to their condition,” the minister said.

Patients already on the Pink Card scheme will not shift. However, protocols are being drawn up for medicines on Schedule II to ensure that there is no wastage or abuse. “If a patient is eligible for paracetamol, the protocol will make it clear that it could only be given he has fever or an infected throat, for example,” Dr Cassar said

There was still a mentality where patients eligible for certain medication insisted – sometimes against threats – on having it. “There is huge wastage of medicine, with boxes and boxes of unopened pills found at an old person’s house, for example. These have to be thrown away,” said the Minister.

The reform also includes a stock take and analysis of the system together with an overhaul and investment of the IT system. A call for tenders will be issued for an online entitlement application system that should address customer complaints about long waiting times and monitor the efficient use of medicines.

In 2011, the government spent around €64 million on free medicines.