Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday expressed concern that patients suffering from two painful diseases had been excluded from the new government list of chronic conditions.

AD chairman Michael Briguglio said sufferers of ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) and FM (Fibromyalgia) faced constant difficulties in everyday life.

The exclusion from the list on schedule V means that sufferers will not be entitled to free medicines.

ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, leaves patients in a state of constant tiredness, while FM is a medical disorder that causes chronic widespread pain and sensitivity in different parts of the body.

“Many people with ME or FM cannot be in employment, which, in turn increases their risk of poverty,” Dr Briguglio said.

He add that patients relied on expensive medicines and alternative therapies to mitigate the negative effects of their ailment.

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