Cancer drugs for cancer, innovative medicines and medicines for rare diseases should be provided through the government and not through “institutionalised” charity initiatives, the Chamber of Pharmacists said.

“At present, several cancer medicines are being given with full or partial reimbursement by Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF). While not wishing to detract from the humanitarian initiatives of the MCCF, these and other innovative medicines and medicines for rare diseases should be procured by government and not through charities,” it said in its pre-electoral proposals.

Among other proposals it also called for the government to allow more individualisation in prescribing, saying that there were patients who did not respond as well to new brands, or who could not for one reason or another continue to take those on the formulary list.

“It is highly desirable to provide these patients with alternative value-added models for better management of their condition and better outcomes. This would also decrease wastage of resources, whereby patients are maintained on relatively expensive treatments which are of no benefit to them.

The chamber also called for the Pharmacy Of Your Choice (POYC) scheme to be improved, and for pharmacists to be allowed to prescribe, including repeat prescriptions under the POYC.