I would like to address some points that were faithfully reported by The Times on February 2 in an item entitled Agency To Procure Medicines.

In the session of Parliament from which all these points came out, there were a number of worrying statements made by Health Minister Joseph Cassar.

First of all, he cited a number of reasons why medicines could fall out of stock, not least of which the complexity of the current procurement system and its shortcomings. The reasons themselves do not seem sound reasons but even if they were, there is no valid reason why a medication should ever fall out of stock; a sick patient needs to take his medication, and if the government has taken a commitment to supply it, he should do so without fail, period. The out-of-stock lists contain medications which are for very serious life-threatening conditions, such as the possible rejection of a transplanted liver.

I was also shocked to discover from a parliamentary question I recently asked that the time between when a medication is approved for inclusion in the formulary and the medication procured for the patient is often more than six months. This does not include the time taken for the approval process per se; I shudder to think what the patient needs to go through before he or she finally receives the medication needed – if it is not too late by the time!

Finally, I have made a number of interventions and PQs regarding the treatment of dementia in Malta. Malta and Latvia are the only countries in Europe that do not offer any type of subsidy for patients to purchase the medication, which can make a huge difference to the patients and caregivers; half of the latter end up with clinical depression because of the burden that caregiving puts on them.

Because these medications are not available, the minister has, in PQs, established that in Malta antipsychotics (medications normally used in the treatment of schizophrenia) are used as an alternative, as these are available on the NHS. But according to the FDA and EMEA, the medical regulatory authorities for the US and Europe, these increase the probability of death and should be avoided. It is unfair and shameful that doctors are cornered into prescribing antipsychotics for patients with dementia because the correct treatment is not available.

There has already been a committee, the National Dementia Strategy group which has given its recommendation that medications for Alzheimer’s are to be included in the formulary. Now, the minister has set up a committee to validate the work of this group, in my opinion, a dubious practice more effective for putting off a decision that needs to be taken to save money.

I appeal to the minister to step it up a gear (or better still, two) and get his act together.