ATHENS (GREECE) – Bad news for cancer patients in Greece: Merck Serono, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and the oldest, has decided to no longer supply Greece with an important life-saving drug. This is the active substance cetuximab, which is essential in the fight against colon, head or neck cancer. This is because Merck boasts a considerable credit towards Greek hospitals: a part has been paid off with government bonds (about 56 million, which, however, with the depreciation that has taken place, are not worth much), but the bulk is still pending. And therefore Merck has decided to suspend the sale of the drugs until the arrears are paid.
And the same problem is emerging in Italy, Spain and Portugal: medicines are bought, but payments are increasingly delayed. And this risks leading the pharmaceutical company to interrupt supplies of medicines.
But it is not only Merck, but all the pharmaceutical companies which are adopting the same method: they are accumulating debts towards the countries of the Mediterranean area; an unsustainable situation in the long term. So much so that the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies, from Brussels, has proposed an agreement: let's put a ceiling on debts and from now on, countries will pay regularly for new supplies. For the moment, the agreement is aimed only at Greece, but it could soon concern us too.
06/11/2012, 15:55 Antonio Rispoli Julie News
Pharmaceuticals: Federfarma, from Greece advises not to force on remuneration
06 November 2012 – 16:52
(ASCA) - Rom
