PM: Outdated System Delaying Access To Cheaper Medicines

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC is raising concerns about delays in the registration of medicines, saying the current system is preventing patients from accessing cheaper treatment options in a timely manner.

Speaking at a luncheon for recently appointed Permanent Secretaries on Thursday, Mrs Persad-Bissessar attributed the delays to an inactive committee and outdated regulations.

“I’m seeing that people are talking about shortages of medications and so on, and I’m told that there are persons waiting to apply to register medications, cheaper medications for one year. And why is that happening? Because there’s some committee that is not functioning, the rules and regulations are outdated, the formulary, the medical formularies, it’s outdated.”