The Nationalist Party has accused the government of quietly introducing “hidden taxes” that will make medicines more expensive for patients, after a legal notice raised a wide range of Medicines Authority fees.
In a press statement on Wednesday, the PN said the new tariffs, published without consultation with importers, pharmacists or other stakeholders, will increase costs for companies that bring medicines into Malta, with the burden ultimately passed on to consumers.
According to the PN, the legal notice raises application and registration fees for new medicines entering the market, in some cases “by exorbitant amounts”, and also increases annual licensing fees for pharmacies.
The party said vulnerable people, pensioners and those reliant on regular medication would feel the impact most sharply.
It also criticised the government for “bragging” about cost-of-living adjustments and weekly wage increases, while introducing new fees that it says contradict claims that the latest budget contained no new taxes.
The PN also linked the increases to wider issues in the health system, saying that higher retail medicine prices would add pressure on people already paying out of pocket due to frequent out-of-stock situations, alongside long waiting lists and overcrowded hospitals.
The statement ends with a swipe at the government’s reaction to Malta’s recent hospital privatisation arbitration case, saying that while the administration claims “victory”, patients are facing mounting costs and persistent service shortages.