Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, speaking at an event of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Industry Association, referred to the activation of Oncology Councils in hospitals with the aim of rationalizing pharmaceutical expenditure.

The event took place in Tripoli and concerned the new investments in three production units in the region.

As the minister said 3/4 of oncology drugs prescribed, patients do not need them. That is why the Greek oncologists association is asking for the activation of Oncology Councils in hospitals and that is what we will do. The pharmaceutical expenditure, he added, is constantly increasing and innovative treatments are extremely expensive. If we can’t regulate drug spending, eventually patients won’t have drugs. He referred to the reckless expenditure of IFET, which from 25 million has reached approximately 270 million.

He spoke about intensifying control, cooperation with the involved bodies and transparency.

Referring to drug shortages, the Minister of Health announced changes in the field of cheap drugs.

He said that – in addition to the huge EU-wide problem triggered by the pandemic – excessively low drug prices were also to blame.

He announced changes and price increases so that old, cheap, tried and tested drugs would not be lost from the market. He even noted that companies refuse to bring cheap drugs to Greece or replace them with expensive ones. This cannot go on.

He noted that in 15 days a broad meeting of representatives of the Greek and foreign pharmaceutical industry will be held at the Ministry of Health to discuss the clawback which has reached unimaginable heights and which if the patient is not checked, he will not find his medicine.