News | Sunday, 14 December 2008

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Government has yet to order ‘speedy’ Herceptin supply

Karl Schembri
Government’s Health Procurement Services have yet to order a supply of the costly breast cancer drug Herceptin that was promised by Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar to arrive last month.
MaltaToday is informed that a small consignment of Herceptin meant for the current breast cancer sufferers that was promised to arrive towards the end of November was only approved by the Finance Ministry last Wednesday.
On 2 November, Cassar told The Sunday Times that the breast cancer drug was to be made available in three weeks following a €122,000 one-time tender meant to speed up the supply of Herceptin, besides the yearly €1.3 million expense that will start from next year.
Yet last week, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry said the Finance Ministry only approved a month after the purchase was requested, and the order had yet to be placed.
Director General for Health Dr John Cachia said that while government approved Herceptin to be on the formulary of medicines on the health service at the end of September, the official request for a small supply of Herceptin was only made on 14 November, while the finance ministry only gave the final approval on 10 December.
The quote for the supply of 226 vials of Herceptin was intended as a stopgap measure until the call for tenders if finalised.
“Authority to proceed with purchase was requested to the Ministry of Finance on 14th November 2008,” Dr Cachia said.
“Following extensive discussions between the Health Division and the Ministry of Finance, the necessary conditions were put in place so as to ensure that this procurement in small quantity does not in any way affect the adjudication of the main tender. The Ministry of Finance gave their final approval on 10th December 2008. A first order for initial supplies with the successful contractor will be placed in the coming days, following the issue of the relative confirmation of order.”
The delay has angered families of breast cancer patients who are struggling to cope with the financial hardships.
“Yesterday we had to buy our Herceptin once again,” a breast cancer patient using the drug told MaltaToday last week. “Our next treatment is due on Christmas Eve, so we sincerely hope that by that time we will be given some sort of reply. It’s been really unfair and unethical of Dr Cassar to raise our hopes and then let us down once again.”
At present, there are three cancer patients undergoing Herceptin treatment.
A call for quotations issued by the government for the supply Herceptin has resulted in three shockingly different prices. The lowest offer was made by UK-based pharmaceutical wholesaler, Miller & Miller, whose price for 10 vials of Herceptin was set at €5,756.81. In contrast, Cherubino – the Maltese wholesaler from whom breast cancer patients are buying their medicine – gave a price that was €1,779.61 more expensive, totalling €7,536.42 for 10 vials. Another UK-based company, P&D, quoted the price of €9,341.79 for the same amount.

Herceptin saga
www.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/08/10/t2.html

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