GRTU directs pharmacies to sell medicine at current prices until stocks are exhausted

The only exception, the GRTU added, should be made in the case where they were given a refund by the respective agents from whom stocks had been purchased. GRTU had also directed pharmacy owners “to tell patients who demand to purchase at the new prices that they can do so when current stocks are exhausted”.

Furthermore, GRTU has announced an extraordinary general meeting in the coming weeks “to address the various concerns expressed by its members over the long term effect on viability and profitability of any further price reductions” and taking any action that the members deem necessary.

On Friday, the Consumer Parliamentary Secretariat announced it had successfully managed to get importers cut down medicine prices. Talks with importers of medicines took place recently, which had now led to the decrease in price of 62 products: 54 would decrease by 6 to 40%, while some medicine will decrease by a massive 67%.

The Parliamentary Secretariat had said some importers had already decreased their medicines, and prices had been already set in some pharmacies. The prices were effective on new consignments to pharmacies, while those drugs already available in pharmacies would be priced as they were before. Most changes would take place over the summer months.

The competition and consumer division would be carrying out price inspections. The biggest decrease, 67%, would be on Septrin Paediatric Suspension (100ml) which was used for children’s lung infections. Cholestorol drug Zocor 40mg would decrease by 29 to 42%. Zovirax, used for skin infections, would decrease by €82.72.

The next day, the PL poured cold water over news that the government had secured considerable cuts in medicine prices in meetings it held with medicine importers. In a statement by Labour MPs Michael Farrugia and Anthony Zammit, the PL said the agreement with importers misled people into believing Lawrence Gonzi was actively reducing the cost of living.

“Eight products in the in the list of the medicine cuts announced were in a similar list back on 28 September 2008 when the government said the competitiveness ministry would be monitoring drug prices. Nothing happened back then and consumers had to face constant increases in these prices,” the MPs said.

They added that the 62 medicines mentioned were a pittance next to the hundreds of products on the market: “some of them have limited use, and others are being supplanted by newer products, and others which fall under the free medicines list.”