Select medicines significantly cheaper in Belgium

Newspaper l-Orizzont carried out a comparison of the new revised medicine prices, with those of the same medicines in Belgium, a popular location for the Maltese to buy significantly cheaper medicine prices.

Although a number of the medicines concerned were not sold under the same name or supplier, the comparisons unearthed significant price differences. The largest price discrepancies were found in the medicines Zocor and Zovirax, even though they are the medicines which were decreased the most locally earlier this month.

Zocor, which reduces cholesterol, is €14.76 and €18.54 cheaper in Belgium for a box of 28 pills of 20mg and 40mg respectively. Zovirax, which treats genital herpes infections, is sold €78.62 in Belgium, against €138.71 in Malta. The price difference on a box of 35 pills is €60.09.

Other medicines which are sold significantly cheaper in Belgium include Fosamax for osteoporosis, Cutivate cream for excema, Cozaar for high blood pressure and the antibiotic Ciproxin.

The comparisons have shown that discrepancies in prices still exist, even after the prices of 62 medicines were decreased early this month, some as much as 67%. The biggest decrease is on the medicine Septrin Pediatric Suspension (100ml), used to treat lung infections in children, followed by a decrease in the prices of Zocor and Zovirax.

The changes took place this July after discussions between medicine importers and the health ministry. The reduced prices are effective on new consignments to pharmacies, while those drugs already available in pharmacies would be priced as before until the stock runs out.