WILLEMSTAD – Member of Parliament Shaheen Elhage (PAR) has publicly questioned Minister of Public Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), Javier Silvania, over the government’s continued failure to re-establish the legally required Drug Registration Commission. In a strongly worded letter dated July 21, Elhage called the situation “deeply concerning,” citing serious risks to public health and pharmaceutical services on the island. 

According to Elhage, Curaçao has been without a functioning Drug Registration Commission since late 2023, when the minister officially dissolved the body via national decree. Despite a revised decree being issued on November 11, 2024—which was supposed to modernize and simplify the registration of generic medicines, especially those from the Netherlands—the commission has yet to be reinstated. 

No New Medicines for Over 18 Months 

Due to the lack of an active commission, no new pharmaceutical products have been registered or renewed for more than 18 months. This administrative paralysis has resulted in delays in the availability of essential and potentially life-saving medications on the market, directly affecting the quality of healthcare for the population. 

Elhage, in his letter to Minister Silvania, posed several critical questions: 

What was the urgent justification for dissolving the commission in 2023? 

Why has the commission not been reinstated despite the updated legislation? 

Were the changes in the November 2024 decree meant to serve public health or driven purely by financial motives? 

Is the minister aware of the negative consequences this situation is having on the availability and quality of pharmaceutical services? 

Public Health at Risk 

The PAR parliamentarian emphasized that the commission is a multidisciplinary body legally required to ensure that all medicines available in Curaçao meet quality standards for public use. Without its oversight, the country risks medicine shortages and delays in accessing new treatments. 

He also commended the Inspector for Medicines for acting professionally and responsibly despite the institutional gap, highlighting the inspector’s efforts to maintain a functioning medicine supply system under challenging circumstances. 

A Call for Immediate Action 

Elhage concluded by urging the minister to clarify how long it will take to install a new commission and to take swift action to ensure the continued health and safety of Curaçao’s citizens. 

Curaçao Chronicle will continue to follow developments in this critical matter.