No generic drugs in pharmacies if not produced in Greece

The memorandum obsessions of the troika which, proven now, led to the preparation of a plan in service of foreign interests, executed by Messrs. Loverdos, Georgiadis and Voridis, must be overridden.

Newsbomb.gr dares to propose the most clear step, so that all Greeks to have access to adequate and safe drugs.

This intervention, beyond the protection of the health of citizens will form a practical support of one of the most important growth pillars of Greek economy; the Greek pharmaceutical industry.

Greek pharmaceutical industry, is investing in Greece, even in the years of deep economic crisis, although is experiencing daily a terrifying suffocation and obsolescence by the Greek government. The Greek production units and the thousands of jobs, are daily under attack, but there are solutions, provided the Greek government to decide to work in favor of the Greeks and Greek companies and not for the troika and foreign interests.

How can the government to protect this industry, which contributes greatly to the Greek economy, the entrepreneurship and the labor market? Lets not forget that this industry boosts the GDP by 3.4 billion euros, continues to resist to the tsunami of the biggest postwar recession by constant investments and exports and is perhaps the most reliable and consistent ambassador of our country in foreign markets?

It is fact that the Greek production is writhing under the punitive measures, as clawback and rebate, but also by the huge taxes, issues which now make the production and the survival of the factories in our country, almost prohibitive. And is now known, (as was expressed publicly by the representatives of the Panhellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Industry), that the operation of a pharmaceutical industry in Greece, is a personal achievement of Greek businessmen, which emanates from the desire for the national interest.

Suffice it to say that from 1980 onwards, the domestically produced medicines are treated much more strictly than the imported. As claimed the head of the ECEC, if you want to produce drugs in Greece, you must state its price and the price that you ultimately receive for the medicine must not exceed the price of the imported. Essentially the billing process in Greece is a serious disincentive to maintain a pharmaceutical unit. The Greek State never gave incentives to domestic production!

In an already hostile environment for the Greek pharmaceutical industry, was added the imported generics which come from third countries. The origin and the conditions of the produce of these drugs, are most of the times, unknown. These formulations are globally controversial and are subject of many negative articles and reports in major news outlets around the world. Many of these drugs have been withdrawn summarily, because of unfitness and serious side effects when using them.

The free handling of goods and commodities in our time cannot and should not be ... an excuse, for profit games that affect public health. The Greek government cannot continue to tolerate or even to "foster" the uncontrolled entry and handling of generic drugs in our country, without knowing their exact origin and their production specifications.

Newsbomb dares to propose to government and opposition, the only action of truly national significance, as through this, will ensure the provision of high quality generic drugs (generics) in our country. We propose that the generic drugs should be distributed to our country only if they are produced exclusively from the companies that have or will have factories on Greek soil.

Who can deny that such a change in the current legal regime, it is far fairer and constitutes a shield of the Greek pharmaceutical company? The exclusion of the distribution in Greece of generics coming from foreign companies which have no factories within Greece is a step in the right direction. The distribution of original drugs, which cannot be produced in our country, is the strong asset of foreign companies, thus have nothing to fear, nor to lose from such an action.
The foreign companies, which wish to invest in Greece, by filling the market with dubious quality generics, must compete on an equal footing with those which support in practice the Greek economy and the Greek citizens. The Greek government has every opportunity to intervene, putting aside the troika, which is working in favor of Merkel and the Israeli demands.
The Greek government must support the Greek medicine and the Greek (exclusively) generic medicines, ensuring the tens of thousands of jobs. How? By ensuring by law, that the generic medicines in our country will be produced in Greece, under the necessary certifications of EOF.

No suspicion, no doubt, no risk and no games with the health of the Greeks.

The government (either the current or the next, as a result of early national elections) may even include a special clause in the law, so that businesses wishing to distribute generics in Greece to be forced to cooperate with Greek companies, to give, under contract, their production to domestic production units. This would be a fairer system.

"In this way, will increase the penetration of the Greek pharmaceutical industry in the field of generics", say the market players, stressing that this will ensure the quality and reliability of imported generics, people will know exactly the origin of their drugs and the jobs would be secured. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to the government to show in the clearest and vital way, its support to the Greek pharmaceutical industry, which is the most basic development pillar of our economy.

The government must put clear rules in the game and prove, even at the eleventh hour, that can ensure the Greek interests rather than the foreign interests.

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