Health minister reports Alex Borg to standards czar over ‘misinformation’ on generic medicines

Jo Etienne Abela has requested an ethics investigation into Opposition leader Alex Borg following claims that generic medicines are inferior and ineffective.

The health minister also singled out PN MPs Adrian Delia and Ian Vassallo Hagi for peddling “disinformation” on generic medicines. Abela wrote to Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi requesting an investigation into the three MPs, accusing them of making “dangerous” claims that undermine trust in healthcare services.

Abela was hopeful that the statements made by the PN MPs were the result of “poor counsel” and not “malice”.

On Sunday, Alex Borg said a Nationalist government would ensure the availability of medicines, suggesting that generics currently supplied on the public health service were of an inferior quality.

Borg’s comment prompted the Medicines Authority and the Superintendence of Public Health to issue a joint statement, emphasising the safety and efficacy of generic medicines.

According to the minister, Delia and Vassallo Hagi had made similar comments last month.

What are generics?

Original medicines are covered by a patent that prevents other manufacturers from reproducing them for a number of years. Once the patent expires, other pharmaceutical manufacturers can produce similar medicines to the original—called generics.

Generics pass through the same rigorous testing and licensing process as originals and are usually cheaper.

They are available across the public health service, sometimes as a means to cut costs and other times because they are more readily available on the market.

The health impact of generics should be similar to the original.