{"id":51986,"date":"2025-10-06T14:53:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/?p=51986"},"modified":"2025-10-06T14:53:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:53:34","slug":"generic-medicines-are-safe-mma-slams-comments-made-by-opposition-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/06\/generic-medicines-are-safe-mma-slams-comments-made-by-opposition-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Generic medicines are safe: MMA slams comments made by Opposition Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">Following reports of references made on Sunday by the Honourable leader of the Opposition Dr Alex Borg, about Generic Medicines, the Malta Medicines Authority, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Public Health is issuing this statement to allay any alarm caused to the many thousands of users of generic medicines. This statement upholds and reaffirms the remarks delivered by the Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Jo Etienne Abela in Parliament on Tuesday 30th September 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Authority is making reference to statements issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with respect to Generic Medicines: \u201cA generic medicine is a medicine that is developed to be the same as a medicine that has already been authorised. A generic medicine contains the same active substances as the reference medicine and is used at the same dose to treat the same disease as the reference medicine.\u00a0 The name of the medicine, its appearance such as colour and shape can be different from those of the reference medicine.\u00a0 The active substance of a medicine is what gives it its therapeutic effect.\u00a0Generic medicines are manufactured according to the same quality standards as all other medicines.\u00a0Regulatory authorities perform periodic inspections of the manufacturing sites to ensure that Good Manufacturing Practices are in place for all medicines.\u00a0Generic medicines must obtain a marketing authorisation before they can be marketed. Marketing authorisations are granted after a regulatory authority has conducted a scientific evaluation of medicine\u2019s efficacy (how it works as measured in clinical studies), safety and quality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A generic medicine must be shown to be bioequivalent to the brand-named drug.\u00a0 This means the generic medicine delivers the same amount of active ingredient into the blood over the same period of time, ensuring that a generic medicine works in the body in the same way as the originator. Generic medicines manufactured in Malta and those available to our patients follow the same EU regulations for quality, safety and efficacy as in all other European Union countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) supports the use of generic medicines as they are safe, good quality and efficacious and have potential to increase access to essential medicines.<\/p>\n<p>It is important that the general public is not alarmed by any statements which may wrongly infer any inferiority in the quality of generic medicines both those supplied by the Pharmacy-of-Your-Choice scheme and in the private market.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_51986\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"51986\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following reports of references made on Sunday by the Honourable leader of the Opposition Dr Alex Borg, about Generic Medicines, the Malta Medicines Authority, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Public Health is issuing this statement to allay any alarm caused to the many thousands of users of generic medicines. This statement upholds and reaffirms [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_51986\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"51986\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51987,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-51986","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-news"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-150x57.jpg",150,57,true],"medium":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-300x114.jpg",300,114,true],"medium_large":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"large":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_0x420":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_80x60":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-80x60.jpg",80,60,true],"td_218x150":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-218x150.jpg",218,150,true],"td_324x400":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-324x228.jpg",324,228,true],"td_696x0":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_1068x0":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_100x70":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-100x70.jpg",100,70,true],"td_265x198":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-265x198.jpg",265,198,true],"td_324x160":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-324x160.jpg",324,160,true],"td_324x235":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-324x228.jpg",324,228,true],"td_356x220":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-356x220.jpg",356,220,true],"td_356x364":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-356x228.jpg",356,228,true],"td_533x261":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-533x228.jpg",533,228,true],"td_534x462":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en-534x228.jpg",534,228,true],"td_696x385":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_741x486":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false],"td_1068x580":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MMA-logo-en.jpg",600,228,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Bernard Lynch","author_link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/author\/bernardlynch\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Following reports of references made on Sunday by the Honourable leader of the Opposition Dr Alex Borg, about Generic Medicines, the Malta Medicines Authority, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Public Health is issuing this statement to allay any alarm caused to the many thousands of users of generic medicines. This statement upholds and reaffirms&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51986"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51988,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51986\/revisions\/51988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}