A nutritional product given to severely disabled patients is being withdrawn following a slew of complaints from families.

On Saturday, Times of Malta reported how patients had been left with bedsores and experienced vomiting while on Energie Shake, a product being given out through the "‘pharmacy of your choice" (POYC) scheme which distributes medicines to those with chronic conditions.

Families of patients said it was ineffective, causing weight loss and leading to further health complications, with some suspecting certain batches - which they described as having a consistency like expired milk – had gone off.

Slamming the product as being “inferior”, they questioned why it was continuing to be given out through the POYC scheme despite having been withdrawn earlier by Mater Dei over similar concerns.

Daniel Sammut, a medical doctor whose wheelchair-bound 26-year-old son needs to be fed enterally – through a tube in his stomach – had called it “shameful” the product was being given to patients and had petitioned the government to change it.

In an email to Sammut on Monday, the head of the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit (CPSU) Karl Farrugia said the product was being withdrawn from the POYC scheme.

Farrugia – whose unit sources and manages the country’s stock of publicly used medicines – apologised “for the inconvenience caused” and told Sammut the complaint had been escalated to the manufacturer.

“The product is precautiously being withdrawn and we made arrangements through urgent courier to bring over to Malta alternative supplies from a different manufacturer”, Farrugia wrote.

His words came in response to an email from Sammut demanding Energie Shake be replaced by an alternative product and signal a change in direction by authorities who last week put the complaints down to “damaged stock”.

Farrugia said the CPSU had consulted a dietician to see which alternative products could be used in the meantime and on Monday afternoon a notice was issued by the Superintendence of Public Health about the withdrawal.

“Following investigations performed... [Energie Shake] should not be consumed on a precautionary basis due to possible defective packaging which may result in spoilage of the product”, the health department said.  

Last week, a Health Ministry spokesperson said more than 2,500 patients were entitled to receive Energie Shake.

Speaking at the time, a spokesperson from the Health Ministry said it had received “no official reports” about Energie Shake but that two batches had been withdrawn in collaboration with the UK-based manufacturer following a “precautionary quarantine” being issued.