Health care in Greece: an accident waiting to happen, says pharma trade group

Due to repeated failures on the government’s part, the health care sector in Greece has reached a definite impasse, it was agreed during the Greek pharmaceutical industry association (SFEE) annual meeting held last week. The SFEE said that the provision of pharmaceutical care is at breaking point, getting closer by the day to hitting rock bottom, and there is a risk that many medicines, including several of vital importance, will soon become unavailable to Greek patients.

The blame on this situation is put on the Health Ministry and its continued failure to correct mistakes in the pricing of pharmaceuticals, which have occurred repeatedly and in breach of the applicable legislation - the most striking example of such mistakes included in the recently issued Price Bulletin – and to allocate reasonably and fairly the funds available for the payment of arrears so as to safeguard the smooth operation and survival of pharmaceutical companies.

The SFEE stated that pharmaceutical companies are the only sector that has not received a single euro from EOPYY or Public Hospitals for two years now, although the relevant funds have already been disbursed. With arrears now totaling 2 billion euros ($2.6 billion), and with a loss of 1 billion euros as a result of the Private Sector Involvement (PSI) deal agreed as part of Greece’s 130 billion-euro bailout, many companies are unable to import products, adjusting their business plans again and again or facing a risk of collapse.