New bladder cancer drug on government formulary

The anti-bladder cancer drug mitomycin C has been added to the government’s formulary list, meaning that it will be available for free to Maltese patients.

This will man that doctors will be able to offer a new type of treatment, injecting the drug directly into the bladder and leaving it there for several hours.

Addressing a press conference at Mater Dei, health minister Chris Fearne said that this new treatment reduces the possibility of bladder cancer reoccurrence and of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body. Around 300 patients a year are expected to benefit from this new treatment.

“The last budget had allocated €3 million on acquiring cancer medication, and all cancer medications will be free by the end of the current legislature,” he said.