Although Halothane anaesthetic is no longer in production and Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said recently it had not been used in Malta for some 15 years, the Government is still trying to locate and purchase a small stock of some five cylinders for “rare, exceptional needs”.

Dr Farrugia said this in Parliament in reply to a question by former Health Minister Joseph Cassar, who had asked why Halothane still appeared on official lists as out of stock. Dr Farrugia said it was still appearing because the item had not yet been struck off the Government’s list of formulary medicines.