The enduring economic crisis is affecting the ability of the Greek State to adequately provide necessary medicines as it is forced to take measures to cut public pharmaceutical spending.
I. EVALUATE AND ACT UPON THE IMPACT OF AUSTERITY MEASURES ON HEALTH AND ACCESS TO MEDICINES, PREVENTION AND DIAGNOSTICS
The European Commission as part of the Troika has advised on budget cuts for health, without assessing the health impact of economic measures. Therefore, we:
Call upon the European Commission to carry out a health impact assessment of fiscal consolidation measures taken over the last two years as well as possible future austerity measures in Greece to assess in particular their repercussions on the accessibility and the affordability of health services and medicines.
Call upon the European Commission and the Greek State to propose clear and effective compensatory measures with regards to access to medicines, with a priority for life-saving and chronic treatments.
II. THE GREEK GOVERNMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION MUST GUARANTEE THE OPEN COMPETITION OF GENERIC MEDICAL PRODUCTS
There is a low penetration of generic medicines (compared to other EU member states) both in the Greek market and in state procurements. Moreover, the prices of generic products are often higher that generic drugs in other EU states. Therefore we,
Call upon the Greek State to promote a more open generic market and to increase the share of generics in the general Greek market and in the State´s pharmaceutical procurement.
Call upon the European Commission to investigate possible infringement of EU competition, procurement and other internal market rules that are limiting the access to lower priced generic medicines.
Call upon the Greek State, medical professionals and civil society to organize public awareness campaigns on the quality and safety of generic medicines.
III. TRANSPARENCY ON PRICING, CLINICAL DATA AND EVALUATION OF MEDICINES
Ask the European Commission and the Greek State to take steps to assure the transparency of pharmaceutical pricing, data sharing and public accessibility of EU Member State medicine evaluation committees with the highest degree of independent review and public participation.
IV. COMPULSORY LICENSES FOR VERY HIGH-PRICED IMPORTANT AND LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL PRODUCTS
Call upon the Greek state to consider issuing compulsory licenses in the case of some very high priced patented medicines in accordance with international law.
V. MEDICINE PROCUREMENT COOPERATION OF GREECE WITH OTHER EU MEMBER STATES
Conscious of the limited negotiating power with large pharmaceutical countries of a small country like Greece and the need to purchase many important medicines with a radically reduced budget, we
Call upon Greece and European Commission to consider coordination among EU Member States on joint procurement of medicines where such cooperation could be beneficial for all Member States to help assure affordability of these products.
VII. CORRUPTION LIMITS ACCESS TO MEDICINES IN GREECE
Call upon the Greek State to take energetic measures to reduce corruption in pharmaceutical purchases, prescription and procurements through the application of the rule of law, transparency, independent expert overview and greater public participation in the decision-making processes.
Please send support of organizations and/or individuals: yannis.natsis@gmail.com