The valuable function of the Greek pharmaceutical industry in limiting the shortages of medicines from the Greek market was praised by the Minister of Health, A. Georgiades.
The Health Minister, during an interview with Action24 television station, also stressed that Greece “counts” the least drug shortages among EU member states.
Adonis Georgiades: “Drug shortages in Greece are less than in other EU countries”
Specifically, Adonis Georgiades said the following:
“First of all, the shortages of medicines in general in Greece are less than in the other countries of the European Union. We have managed, through the HSPADIF platform, which was set up during my tenure at the Ministry of Health, to monitor shortages and we owe it to the Greek pharmaceutical industry, which is very strong. So, the shortages in Greece are less. The other 26 EU countries have more shortages than we do. That does not mean that there are no shortages, there are. The recent measures we have taken, such as price increases on cheap medicines, were taken with the criterion that a number of medicines should not be withdrawn from the market. And indeed the policy worked and a number of medicines, which were in shortage and under withdrawal, eventually continued to be available on the Greek market and are still available today. I repeat, the Greek pharmaceutical industry is a shield for shortages.”
