No Medicine for You!

International pharmaceutical companies are cutting back on supplying Greece with popular medications because the country's insurance funds and hospitals owe the companies about $2.5bn. The debt goes back to 2011 and companies are expecting payments of $652 million this month. In a separate announcement the Swiss Red Cross said it was halting blood supplies to Greece because of its poor payment record. The Greek pharmacists association said supplies of certain drugs are down by 90%. The drugs affected include treatment for arthritis, hepatitis C, hypertension, high cholesterol, mental disease, bowel disease, infection and anesthetics. Around 300 drugs are in short supply. The Greek government regulator has identified eight internationals for fines out of a list of 50 it says are halting or slowing deliveries due to low prices and non-payment of debt. Pharmacists in Athens describe chaotic often angry scenes in their dispensaries as desperate consumers go from store to store searching for their favorite remedies that hospitals can no longer dispense. Pfizer admits to withholding some medications because of the resale trade in drugs which cashes in on higher prices in other European nations. At present Greek prices are 20% below the lowest in EU countries; EU trade rules permit the free movement of goods and services within the Union. Two products Pfizer is withholding are for leukemia, Zavedos and Aracytin. The company took the analgesic Neurontin and the epilepsy drug Epanutin off the Greek market last month. The international pharmacuetical industry wants Greece to bring in a new pricing system. Until it does, no drugs for you socialist Greek person!