Expensive drug list gets shorter

The new list of expensive drugs intended to treat serious diseases, which was signed by deputy Health minister Marios Salmas, will be shortened by 670 drugs. It will include 233 drugs for which there will be no patient participation. For the rest of the drugs that are not listed, patients will have to pay for their participation out of their own pocket.

The prices of high-cost preparations range from 200 to 3,000 euros. These drugs are administered to patients with cancer, autoimmune diseases, eg multiple sclerosis, those who have undergone transplantation etc. The annual cost of these drugs is estimated at about 250 million euros.

Initially, patients were able to obtain them from both private and public pharmacies, but from now on they will be available only from pharmacies in public and private hospitals and EOPYY. This has caused problems for the finances of NHS hospitals, who must cover this cost too from their reduced budgets.

Trapped as usual in official decisions in the last two years, patients are literally fighting for their lives to secure the medications for their difficult illness.

According to the new list, 118 drugs will be administered by public and private hospitals with a capacity of more than 60 beds. 95 drugs will be administered by the NHS, clinics and EOPYY pharmacies. Tthe insured will be able to purchase 20 preparations from private pharmacies as well.