Pharmaceutical industry

The Turkish Health Ministry banned the sale of cancer drugs in pharmacies as of July 1. They will now only be provided in the hospitals, in order to "prevent malpractice."

Doctors are now being allowed to recommend specific generic drugs when they issue prescriptions, in what the government says is a move designed to increase the use of this form of medicines in Greece.

Health Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis on Sunday announced a reduction in deductible paid by beneficiaries for the purchase of pharmaceuticals based on income criteria.

Speaking on a television news program, he said the measure will be taken in the next few months. He also said the system for physicians' appointments to the public health system will also change.

Pharmacies are running out of basic medicines as wholesalers appear to be keeping a tight lid on supplies, leading to shortages in popular painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as antibiotics, insulin and vaccinations.

The Health Ministry is poised to introduce fines for doctors who exceed prescription limits and pharmacies that fail to provide generic medicines wherever possible.

Kathimerini understands that the measures will be included in a large draft law that the ministry is preparing with the aim of tying up a number of loose ends in the health sector.

BELGRADE - The Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia (ALIMS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and cooperation with the Federal Service for Supervision of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (Roszdravnadzor) on Friday.

The EU on Wednesday hit French drugs giant Servier with a huge 331 million euro fine for colluding to delay a cheaper generic version of perindopril, a popular blood pressure treatment.
      

Doctors who work with Greece’s main public healthcare provider, EOPYY, will from now on face strict cost limits on the drugs they can prescribe to each patient.

A ministerial decision published in the Government Gazette this week sets ceilings for each EOPYY doctor depending on his or her specialization, which part of the country he or she practices in and the month.

British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline has agreed a $350-million deal with Adaptimmune to help develop and sell the biotechnology firm's cancer drugs, the companies said on Monday.
      

Greece is under pressure from the troika to increase the prescription of cheaper, generic medicines, which has only reached around 20 percent, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Wednesday.