Twenty-nine medicines are having their price reduced, government officials announced on Wednesday. 

They also announced the introduction of 14 generic medicines and 23 medicinal products of pharmacotherapeutic importance.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Rights Deo Debattista said the price cuts include medicines to prevent the formation of blood clots, medicines indicated in erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, neuropathic pain and anti-inflammatories.

Patients can save up to €50 on the price of pregabalin prescribed in neuropathic pain which has been reduced by 67%. Other price reductions include 45% on eye drops for glaucoma, 30% on medicines for erectile dysfunction and 10% on antithrombotic medicines.

Simultaneously, 14 generic medicines are now accessible on the local market with a competitive price.

Dr Debattista said that the medicine containing emtricitabine and tenofovir indicated for pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV infection is now available at a price of €95 for 30 tablets. Patients may benefit from discounts of up to 82% when compared to the originator.

The same applies to the antibiotic fosfomycin where patients can save up to a maximum of 50%. All these medicines are registered with the Malta Medicines Authority ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy standards in line with the European legislation.

Dr Debattista said that despite the challenges imposed by Brexit, accessibility to medicines has been improved by the introduction of 23 new medicinal products of pharmacotherapeutic importance. These include 13 point-of-care tests and new liquid formulations of the medicines fluoxetine and aripiprazole which are now accessible to patients who find difficulty in swallowing. 

The full list of medicine price reductions can be accessed through the MCCAA website: https://www.mccaa.org.mt/