The Malta Chamber of Pharmacists has held meetings with representatives of the PL and PN regarding their respective health proposals, emphasising their worry of the PL’s proposal to deliver medicines directly to patients’ homes.

The Chamber argued that a proposal of such magnitude can be envisaged without the direct dispensing of medicines by pharmacists. Dispensing of medicines is defined as a pharmacists’ exclusive role and includes the lasting personal contact between pharmacists and patients. “One should never confuse a distribution service with dispensing of medicines where a pharmacist carries out his or her unique role to enable patients to make the best use of their medicines,” a Chamber representative said.

The meetings held a particular focus on pharmacists, pharmacies and medicines. On February 13, the Chamber met with PL representatives Dr Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and Adrian Meli, whilst they met with PN Deputy Leader Simon Busuttil and Minister for Finance, the Economy and Investment Tonio Fenech, PN Secretary General Paul Borg Olivier and representative Tonio Cassar.

During these meetings the Chamber was informed of the aspirations of both parties with respect to their proposals on how pharmacists can be better integrated and recognised for the roles and services they deliver.

The Chamber noted that there is agreement by both parties on the success of the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) scheme, with both parties committing to continue developing this system.

The two parties unanimously agreed that they would do everything possible to address and resolve the problem of out of stock medicines. During the meeting with the PN officials, it was clarified that as proposed in the PN electoral manifesto, when a medicine is out of stock, the patient shall receive the same medicine from private pharmacies, the latter being reimbursed without any cost to the patient.