Ensuring access to medicines for diabetics

Whereas our national health service improved over the years and even successive governments worked to increase the number of medicines available for free, several important drugs are yet to be made available to patients and health professionals.  

Over the past weeks I met several diabetic patients and professionals who told me that lifesaving medicine for diabetics is not yet on the national formulary in Malta even if several appeals have been to national authorities. I appeal to the government to make this medicine available to diabetics. 

The medicine known as GLP-1 Agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors are available on the formulary in other EU member states such as the UK. Professionals explained to me how this medicine avoids complications, stroke and heart attacks. They also explained that not everybody can afford this medicine which costs between Euro 60 and Euro 130 and as a result this is creating a divide in cure between those who can afford the medicine or not. 

Over the past year I made five appeals to improve services to diabetics. Case in point I called on the government to make available continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to type 1 diabetics. Irrespective of the government’s communication that these will be made available, families I met in the past days told him that their children were still waiting for the CGM. I appeal to the government to deliver on its promise as CGM can help kids to monitor their sugar level without needing to prick their fingers several times a day. 

In the past days I met with various stakeholders including the International Diabetes Federation Europe, the Malta Diabetes Association, health professionals and patients. I am determined to keep on serving as the voice of diabetics both in Malta and at the European Parliament where I serve as the Co-chair of the EU diabetes working group.