In August 2024, the Minister of Health issued a decision which significantly increased the prices of more than 800 pharmaceuticals in Greece, with some of these seeing increases of up to 448%. The affected medications span a wide range of categories, from serums and antibiotics to antidepressants and anti-inflammatories. The majority of these price adjustments range between €1 and €5.
According to the Minister of Health and the President of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association, these increases were necessary. They concern medicines sold at low prices which make them unsustainable for pharmaceutical companies to keep them in the Greek market, leading to drug shortages or even withdrawals from the market. However, these increases are expected to place an additional financial burden on patients, particularly those with chronic conditions requiring long-term medication.