Government’s Quiet Medicine Fee Hikes Will Hit Patients Hardest, Says PN

The Nationalist Party has warned that the Government’s recent increases in Medicines Authority fees, quietly introduced via a legal notice, will ultimately be borne by patients, particularly the most vulnerable and the elderly.

“These new tariffs, imposed without any consultation with stakeholders, are effectively a new tax,” said a spokesperson for the Party. “Companies importing medicines into Malta will face higher costs, and consumers will inevitably feel the impact through higher retail prices.”

The PN warns that the recent legal notice does more than simply raise the application and registration fees for new medicines entering the Maltese market – in many cases, the increases are exorbitant. It also hikes up the annual licensing fees for pharmacies.

Yet, the PN notes, the Government proudly highlights a €4.66 weekly increase for workers – an amount still subject to taxation.

The PN points out that the Government boasts about giving pensioners €10, half of which is merely the standard COLA adjustment – all while expecting them to pay even higher prices for essential medicines.

The PN stresses that the Government claims this year’s budget introduces no new taxes. However, hidden levies quietly creep in between budgets, placing additional pressure on those who rely on Malta’s public health services.

PN notes, the Government continues to claim it “won a victory” for Malta in the hospital theft arbitration case.

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