The discussion regarding pharmaceutical innovation in Greece is often trapped in a sterile dialogue about fiscal constraints. However, the intervention of Ioannis Kokkotos, Country Lead & Head of Immunology (South Eastern Europe) at UCB, through his recent interview with Fortune Greece, points to the heart of the matter: the problem is not a lack of scientific progress, but rather the bureaucratic and financial inertia that deprives Greek patients of their right to timely treatment.
The Paradox of the Greek Market
An oxymoron is observed in Greece. While the scientific community is fully informed about international developments and pharmaceutical companies are ready to supply cutting-edge formulations, the time elapsed from a drug's approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to the patient's actual access remains disappointing. According to Mr. Kokkotos, innovation should not be treated as a luxury that burdens the budget, but as a strategic investment with multiplier benefits for society and the economy.
This delay is not just a number in a statistical report. It translates into lost working hours, deterioration of quality of life, and, in many cases, irreversible damage to citizens' health. Mr. Kokkotos emphasizes that Greece needs a stable and predictable framework, which would allow companies to plan their investments and patients to know they will receive the same treatment as their fellow European citizens.
From Cost to Value: A Necessary Shift
One of the central positions of the UCB lead is the need to adopt the "Value-Based Healthcare" model. Today, the Greek system focuses almost exclusively on the price of the drug. This approach is short-sighted. An expensive innovative therapy can drastically reduce hospitalization days, eliminate the need for surgeries, or allow a patient with a chronic condition to return to the productive process.
- Evaluation must include the total social benefit.
- The use of Real World Evidence (RWE) is essential.
- Healthcare digitalization can provide the tools to monitor effectiveness.
Mr. Kokkotos points out that UCB consistently invests in research for neurological and immunological diseases, areas where patient needs remain largely unmet. However, the success of these therapies depends on whether the state can recognize their value beyond the immediate accounting cost.
The Thorn of Clawback and Sustainability
The burning issue of automatic returns (clawback) could not be absent from the discussion. This system, which started as an emergency measure during the debt crisis, has turned into a permanent distortion that threatens the industry's sustainability. Pharmaceutical companies in Greece are called upon to cover a huge part of public expenditure that exceeds closed budgets.
"Innovation is not just a cost, but an investment that pays off for society and the economy," Mr. Kokkotos characteristically states.
The excessive burden through clawback acts as a deterrent to the introduction of new drugs. If a company knows it will be called to return 50% or more of its revenue to the state, the decision to launch a new therapy becomes extremely difficult. This creates two-tier patients in Europe, with Greece risking staying in the "waiting room" of developments.
Digital Reform as a Catalyst
To solve the access puzzle, Mr. Kokkotos suggests the full utilization of digital tools. Electronic prescribing in Greece is an excellent first step, but we must go further. We need strictly followed therapeutic protocols and systems that record the treatment's outcome on the patient. Only then will the Ministry of Health be able to know where taxpayers' money is being put to good use and which therapeutic options are truly efficient.
In conclusion, Ioannis Kokkotos's interview serves as a reminder that health is not a static sector of expenditure, but a living organism that requires continuous modernization. Innovation is here, solutions exist; what is missing is the political will for a radical restructuring of the way our country evaluates and reimburses medical progress.
