PM calls for action on delays to cheaper medicines

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HEALTH · Published 12 September 2026 · Source report 10 September 2026

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has raised concerns about the time taken to register medicines in Trinidad and Tobago, saying delays can prevent patients from obtaining cheaper treatment options.

At a luncheon for recently appointed Permanent Secretaries on Thursday, 10 September, she attributed the problem to an inactive committee and outdated rules and formularies. She said she had been told of applicants waiting a year to register medicines.

Persad-Bissessar questioned lengthy local processes for medicines already assessed by internationally recognised bodies and urged public officials to remove outdated practices. These are the Prime Minister’s stated concerns and proposed direction for reform; the report does not confirm that a new approval system is operating or that any particular medicine is newly available.

This account summarises published reporting. Original report — 10 September 2026.

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