Hundreds of cancer patients’ procedures have been postponed over years due to delays in the supply of a radioactive substance from Italy - while a multi-million euro machine that can produce this substance lies dormant in Malta.
Over the past years, Malta has been importing a radioactive tracer used for nuclear imaging during PET/CT scans to diagnose patients and monitor the effectiveness of therapy at Mater Dei Hospital. This is used primarily for cancer patients.
As it is radioactive, the tracer has a short shelf-life and must be used within hours of being produced in Rome in a machine called a cyclotron. The tracer cannot be stored, so it has to be ordered to arrive in time for scheduled appointments.
However, according to multiple sources, over the past years there were several occasions when the ordered tracer consignment was not sent from Rome, forcing the postponement of appointments.
The irony lies in the fact that Malta has a cyclotron that is lying unused and “still in boxes” at the Life Sciences Park, next door to Mater Dei Hospital, the sources have confirmed.
It is understood that the cyclotron was bought by Vitals Global Healthcare – which received more than €50 million from the government to run three state hospitals in 2016.
The same sources said Vitals had purchased it for €4 million.
Vitals had transferred the concession to US group Steward Health Care in 2018 after facing financial difficulties but the cyclotron remained unused.
It is understood that a government entity is in the process of taking back ownership.
Meanwhile, the health ministry has confirmed that the country imports the tracer from a company – Curium – in Rome.
There were 1,613 PET/CT scans using the imported tracer carried out last year compared to 1,952 in 2019; 1,808 in 2018; 1,686 in 2017; 1,590 in 2016; 1,193 in 2015 and 936 in 2014.
A health ministry spokesperson confirmed that, over the years, “procedures had to be postponed with nuclear medicine physicians constantly prioritising cases”.
While not quantifying the number of postponements, the spokesperson said that, in 2020, the yearly amount of PET/CT scans was reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting flight schedules.
“Nonetheless, Air Malta made every effort to keep a route open with cargo flights on days that tallied with FDG [tracer] production that was targeted for Malta,” the spokesperson said.
“Any failed delivery, for whatever reason, had a domino effect on subsequent appointments as no extra production nor flights were available to compensate for failed deliveries.”
In a statement on Wednesday, civil society group Repubblika said corruption had even led to the creation of a cancer factory at Mater Dei Hospital.
Prime Minister Robert Abela, it said, had the duty to immediately take ownership of the cyclotron for Maltese cancer patients to get treatment as soon as possible, give a full explanation on the hospitals deal and cancel it.