HIV medication shortage caused by UK cargo delays, health ministry confirms

There have been unforeseen delays in the cargo delivery of HIV medication from the UK, the health authorities have confirmed and an urgent order has been placed with a firm in Portugal.

The Health Ministry told MaltaToday that the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit has issued an urgent order from Portugal and is awaiting this delivery that will also include a stockpile for 2021 to bridge any issues caused by Brexit.

However, the first delivery that was expected to arrive today was delayed because of transportation issues. A batch of tablets is expected to arrive in Christmas week, the ministry said.

It confirmed that the medicines currently in short supply are Abacavir 300mg and Lamivudine 300mg, given in combination or individually, and Ritonavir 100mg tablets.

“With respect to ritonavir 100mg tablets delivery is scheduled for Christmas week,” a ministry spokesperson said.

Last week the Malta Gay Rights Movement flagged a shortage of HIV medication, warning that Malta is facing a public health crisis.

The NGO told MaltaToday that at least 10 persons have been affected by the shortages, with the MGRM appealing to persons with spare HIV medication to come forward since stocks at Mater Dei Pharmacy are running low.

The health ministry said that the treatment currently offered to HIV patients is being phased out in most EU countries, including Malta, leading to less production and thereby less supply of these medicines.

“For this reason in 2019, the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit within the Ministry for Health issued a call to identify economic operators interested in providing the service for the new treatment of HIV-positive patients,” the spokesperson said.

The ministry said that due to COVID-19 the change over to the new medication was delayed by six months to allow clinicians to manage the changeover with the relevant clinical follow-ups.

However, the situation got more complicated as a result of export limitations and regulations that arose with UK suppliers because of Brexit.

“Switching supply form one country to another is a complex situation as there are internal policies and business implications which take long to be resolved excluding the planned forecast for the country,” the spokesperson said.

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