Pensioner holidays

THE Imserso trips for pension‐ers will soon go on sale again in Spain, some with slightly higher prices but with more choices available than in previ‐ous seasons.

There are only a few months left until the application period for the Imserso 2023/2024 trips opens.

Pensioners who opt for one of the 886,269 places on offer (70,000 more than this year) will be able to choose from a wider range of travel options than before.

Warning of drug shortages

THE Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Prod‐ucts (AEMPS), which reports to the Ministry of Health, has reported supply prob‐lems with medicine used in the treatment of severe hy‐pertension. Specifically, it is the drug ‘Loniten 10 mg tablets, 30 tablets’, from the company Pfizer.

According to the AEMPS, this drug will have until at least July 1, a ‘controlled dis‐tribution’ through the Medicines in Special Situa‐tions Service due to the fact that there are ‘limited units’ currently available in phar‐macies throughout Spain. Loniten belongs to a group of medicines called vasodilators. It is used for the treatment of very high blood pressure or severe hy‐pertension. he is wanted for “supply of co‐caine and possession with in‐tent to supply heroin”.

Although its active sub ‐stance is minoxidil, it is not indicated to promote scalp hair growth. Only the topical form of minoxidil is recom‐mended for this use.

Currently, the AEMPS lists on its website problems with the shortages of around 750 different medicines.

The AEMPS is the body re‐sponsible for taking the nec‐essary measures to ensure that, when such tensions in the supply chain occur, no patient’s treatment is inter‐rupted.

Prices range from €124 to visit the Spanish provincial capi‐tals for four days, to €436 to travel to the Canary Islands for 10 days.

These prices will be 7.5 per cent more expensive in order to maintain the quality of the programme.

The most expensive option for the mainland coastal areas of Andalucia, Catalonia, Murcia and Valencia, with transport in‐cluded, will be the 10 day stay (nine nights) for €290.06.

One per cent of trips are re‐served for people with eco‐nomic resources equal to or less than the amount of non‐contributory retirement or dis‐ability pensions from Social Se‐curity.

In these cases, the Imserso will assume 50 per cent of the cost of the place, while in all other cases, the Imserso con‐tributes 22.5 per cent and the users contribute the remaining 77.5 per cent.

Imserso has appointed sev‐eral travel agents to promote the holidays and to accept bookings.

Jack Mayle is the sixth fugi‐tive and is wanted for “supply of MDMA, Methyphenidate (a pharmaceutical drug) and di‐azepam”, as per CrimeStop‐pers.

Alex Male is the seventh fugi‐ tive, who is wanted for “supply of Class A drugs”.

CrimeStoppers states “any‐one with information about any of the men is urged to call anonymously on 0800 555 111, while callers in Spain should call the freephone number 900 926 111, which will be answered by CrimeStoppers in the UK.