Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/621909
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 JANUARY 2016 26 Opinion News • 31 December 2005 THE UK's medicines and healthcare prod- ucts authority (MHRA) has told MaltaTo- day it is working closely with the Maltese authorities in an investigation on a Mal- tese-registered website suspected of selling counterfeit Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug be- ing stockpiled in anticipation of the bird flu pandemic. The MHRA would not disclose the Mal- tese website in case, which was identified using an advanced search tool to monitor the internet for illegal sales of fake Tamiflu. Another 17 sites were identified in Canada, Britain, the US, Switzerland, Bahrain, Jer- sey, Cyprus and Singapore. The Ministry of Health was however only informed of the crackdown through the media. Dr Tanya Melillo, from the Depart- ment of Public Health's disease surveillance unit, told MaltaToday the matter had not been referred to the health ministry. "From our side we have not been informed," Mel- lilo said. She warned that drugs bought over the in- ternet usually have nothing to do with the actual medicine. "Anyone getting medicine over the internet is surely getting false med- ication. There's only one company with the rights from the Tamiflu manufacturer to sell the drug and distribute it to pharmacies." As a prescription-only drug, advertising of Tamiflu is illegal in Malta. The anti-viral has to be prescribed by a doctor and dis- pensed in line with the law. Pharmacies in Malta will have to supply government with all details of all persons who buy Tamiflu. The MHRA investigation was spurred by concerns that fear of the flu pandemic and Tamiflu shortages would fuel sales of bogus Tamiflu on the internet. In November, the European Medicines Enforcement Officers announced that a sig- nificant number of website were claiming to offer Tamiflu capsules for sale. Tamiflu is not legally available in Europe through any other means than legitimate national healthcare routes and only in specific cir- cumstances. Only two weeks ago, US customs agents intercepted more than 50 shipments of counterfeit Tamiflu at San Francisco Inter- national Airport, which had been ordered through the internet. The fake drugs had none of Tamiflu's ac- tive ingredients according to official tests by the US Food and Drug Administration office. Agents became suspicious because Tami- flu is produced by Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche, and there is no ge- neric version – legal copies of the drug – available. The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has killed at least 71 people since 2003. Tami- flu is one of two drugs found to be effective against it. Fears of a bird flu pandemic have increased as the virus has spread into poul- try in Europe. Malta-registered website selling bogus Tamiflu Charity should not be about pageantry It must be the driest rainy season ever Send your letters to: The Editor, MaltaToday, MediaToday Ltd. Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 | Fax: (356) 21 385075 E-mail: newsroom@mediatoday.com.mt. Letters to the Editor should be concise. No pen names are accepted. While charity remains a most commendable trait, one that the Maltese should be more than happy to be associated with, the way this year's Strina event was put together and presented has drawn some justified criticism. The sight of the President of the Republic – an otherwise humble and down-to-earth person – jump- ing around during the final seg- ment of the programme was not in good taste. One wonders why Her Excellency Coleiro Preca allowed herself to be part of such a charade. Perhaps she was overcome by the celebratory mood of the moment. Or perhaps she doesn't pay exces- sive attention to the pageantry of politics and instead focuses on connecting with the people and just getting on with doing her job. However, what transpired speaks for itself. Unfortunately politicians are judged for their actions, not their intentions, and the footage isn't flattering for her at all. One only hopes that future editions of L-Istrina are planned with a bit more care and attention to decorum. Another thing. The notion of charity on this island has to change. The idea that we are all a charitable people just because we throw money at a telethon is silly. We need to look at more active ways of contributing to society, and this does not just mean throw- ing money to the less fortunate. It is also quite sad to see just how many families and individuals in need there are on this island, and for some quite basic health needs, too. This reflects the priorities the government should take when it comes to these things. It shouldn't have to 'outsource' its problems in budgeting to charitable events like L-Istrina. My hope for the coming year is that our politicians and other lead- ers realise just how important it is to both retain decorum and to run the country with efficiency and honesty. Tackiness and a reliance of people's 'charity' simply has to go. Lorraine Vassallo St Paul's Bay The heavens seem to be bent on not putting to the test the f lood relief works completed this year – this must be the driest rainy season Malta has ever had, with well under 200mm having fall- en since the start of the season in September. And no prospects of rainfall seem in sight. It is a pity. Not only because this rain shortfall is highly damaging to the country, but also because we will be relying so heavily on reverse osmo- sis water for our needs. And agriculture will be suffering, so farmers who draw their water from the aquifer will be doing so heavily in summer, inf lict- ing more damage to our already depleted natural resources. I wonder, does the government have any second class water to spare, from the Sant'Antnin water recycling plant? Are any plans being made, if any can be made should the scarcity continue as badly, to distribute some of this water to growers who will surely need it. Chadwick Lakes must still be dry, I think it takes con- siderably more than the little rainfall we have had for the dams to fill up and the water to cascade down. Perhaps this will teach us a lesson – the dams need cleaning up badly, they are full of decaying detritus, which must considerably lessen the amount of water they can hold. The upper areas, from down Bahrija hill, can hardly hold any amounts of water at all, they are so gutted with vegetation. When were the dams last cleaned up? Last summer some- one put the bamboo growth on fire, but the blaze did not take hold strongly, because bamboo is green in summer, so not very combustible. Aren't we all envious of the copious amounts of water fall- ing in the US and UK, among other countries where they have been seeing severe f looding. The loss of life, and widespread damage, are very regrettable of course. It is a pity such bounty should be accompanied by such awful consequences. I wonder how we would fare in such extreme situations. Here we are, in winter, with near-parched fields. Fruit will not be so bountiful in spring and summer. Not unless January and February make up for what we did not get in September-December. March is not usually very wet, and we will have to rely only on April showers after that. Which will not be satisfactory at all. I wonder what's in store for us. David Camilleri Mosta The Chadwick Lakes, in better times