The Association of Pharmaceutical Companies of Greece (SFEE)sent a letter to the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressing his strong concern and disappointment regarding the budgeted public pharmaceutical expenditure in hospitals, as well as his anxiety over the continued access of patients to all hospital medicines necessary for their health.
SFEE addresses appeal for an immediate review of the pharmaceutical budget in hospitals.
“Ten months after the close of the year 2023 and 16 months after the close of the first half of 2023, our member companies have received the hospital clawback memos for this period, with mandatory returns for the largest share of the market reaching to an outrageous 83%, while at the Papageorgiou hospital they reach 92%”, notes SFEE.
The letter states that “despite his constant pointing out in all contacts with the relevant ministries and committees, the problem remains. And the State continues to turn a deaf ear, refusing to recognize its mistake and take the necessary initiatives to correct it. Both in the run-up to the election and 6 months ago in your meeting with the presidents of the global pharmaceutical industry, you committed to practical support for innovation and improving the predictability and sustainability of pharmaceutical companies. However, the latest developments argue in favor of the opposite. Under these conditions there is a great risk that the parent companies will decide that the entry of innovative drugs into the hospital is no longer viable, given that their costs are now covered by the pharmaceutical companies themselves.”
SFEE emphasizes that the “unprecedented” for European and World data the level of reimbursements for hospital drugs “demonstrates the perennially failed policy followed in the field of medicine, as well as the extreme underfunding of the hospital pharmaceutical budget. It is clear that a ‘wrong’ closed budget, even in a controlled environment such as public hospitals, can have disastrous consequences for the companies that supply drugs and the patients who need them.”
At the same time, SFEE asks the following question: “How is it possible that a medicine that is priced based on the two lowest prices in the Eurozone, without ever increasing its price, can be considered financially viable when it returns 83% of its priced sales?” Does the state consider that all these drugs can continue to be available in Greece?”
Source: RES
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Analysis of the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies of Greece (SFEE) Appeal to Review Pharmaceutical Budget in Hospitals
A recent letter sent by the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies of Greece (SFEE) to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlights the growing concern among pharmaceutical companies regarding the budgeted public pharmaceutical expenditure in hospitals. The appeal emphasizes the urgent need for a review of the pharmaceutical budget to ensure patients’ continued access to essential hospital medicines.
The pharmaceutical sector in Greece has been facing challenges in recent years, with rising expenditure and unpredictable regulations affecting the industry. According to a recent report, Greece aims to implement radical reforms in the pharma sector, prioritizing predictability and steady rules. Greek Health Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis emphasized the need for a national pharmaceutical policy focused on stability and predictability [[1]].
The pharmaceutical expenditure in Greece has been significant, with estimated total expenditure reaching €7.1 billion in 2023, while the State’s participation is only €2.8 billion [[2]]. This significant burden on the healthcare system has led to concerns about the sustainability of public pharmaceutical expenditure.
The SFEE’s appeal highlights the delayed receipt of hospital clawback memos, which has resulted in mandatory returns for the largest share of pharmaceutical companies. This delay has exacerbated the financial strain on pharmaceutical companies, threatening their ability to provide essential medicines to patients.
Furthermore, the growth of the Greek pharmaceutical industry is expected to continue, with a forecasted growth rate of 8.2% from $7.5 billion in 2022 to $7.8 billion in 2023 [[3]]. This growth trajectory underscores the importance of reviewing the pharmaceutical budget to ensure that it aligns with the industry’s growth and meets the needs of patients.
the SFEE’s appeal to review the pharmaceutical budget in hospitals highlights a critical concern for the sustainability of public pharmaceutical expenditure in Greece. The Greek government must reassess the budget to ensure that patients continue to have access to essential medicines and that the pharmaceutical industry can operate within a stable and predictable regulatory framework. By addressing these concerns, the government can promote a more competitive and healthier pharmaceutical sector, aligning with its goal of redefining health and pharmaceutical policy for a more competitive and healthier Greece [[2]].