Greece hospital drug clawback climbs to 80.7% amid industry alarm

The Pharmaceutical Industry Association (SFE) and the PhARMA Innovation Forum (PIF) warn that Greece’s hospital drug clawback rate has risen to 80.7% in the first half of 2025, up from the previous year. This increase runs counter to earlier government pledges to gradually reduce the clawback mechanism, raising concerns about the sustainability of drug funding, patient access to innovative treatments, and the financial viability of pharmaceutical companies.

Kavita Patel, President of PIF and CEO of Roche Greece & Cyprus, said the 80.7% figure “is a particularly alarming point for pharmaceutical innovation in Greece,” noting that for every ten innovative drugs needed by patients, the state now funds less than two, shifting most costs to companies. Olympios Papadimitriou, President of SFE and General Manager of Novo Nordisk Greece & Cyprus, criticized the state’s lack of commitment, saying it threatens future therapies for Greek patients. Both organisations have called for an immediate, substantive dialogue with the ministries of Health and Finance to redesign a sustainable, fair reimbursement system.