There must be “very clear” distinction made between generic medicines, which are cheaper but completely legal, and counterfeit medicines, the use of which is “totally illegal and dangerous to patients”, Health Minister Joseph Cassar warned in Parliament yesterday.

It was the counterfeit medicines that ACTA would fight, among other issues.

He spoke briefly during question time in a series of supplementary questions by Labour MP Noel Farrugia, mostly answered by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.

Mr Farrugia had asked if the government had commissioned an evaluation of the ACTA treaty and what it would cost.

Minister Fenech said that last Friday the government had proposed a discussion on generic medicines in the House Foreign Affairs Committee as part of the discussions on ACTA. He said one of the functions of ACTA would be to fight false medicines, which constituted piracy.

But how could any MP participate in such a discussion without knowing the facts officially? Mr Farrugia asked.

Mr Fenech said ACTA would fight piracy internationally, not just on the internet, and especially on medicines. Generic medicines were not always illegal, because they were produced, even in Malta, after their original patents had expired. Piracy, on the other hand, bore no authorisation.

Malta had accepted the European Commission’s technical analysis, but it was not ready to ratify the ACTA treaty before the European Parliament’s decision thereon. Cheaper prices were not the top issue on this.