SFEE slams the government of Greece for indifference to the pharma sector's needs

Commenting on a much-anticipated meeting of representatives of the Greek pharmaceutical sector with the Ministry of Health, the national trade group, the Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SFEE), concluded that it was fruitless and that medicines are not a high priority for the Ministry and the government, and therefore neither is the viability and predictability of pharmaceutical businesses.

Once again, it was registered that the Ministry of Health considers the pharmaceutical companies solely responsible for the upward trend in pharmaceutical expenditure and does not see the need to readjust the public contribution to it, as a result of which it charges ever greater refunds to be paid by the companies, refunds that exceed 60% of their sales.

The government – unlike other European countries – ignores the increased pharmaceutical needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ignores the increasing trend of important chronic diseases, ignores the increasing trend of neoplasms, ignores the increased therapeutic value of new innovative treatments, and maintains for nine consecutive years the underfunding of public expenditure while applauding the treatment decisions and choices made by doctors. Why shouldn’t it, after all it has decided, not to pay for them but have the pharmaceutical companies foot the bill.