Merck accused of selective Ovitrelle distribution in Greece
The Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association (ΠΦΣ) has formally complained that Merck is restricting the supply of Ovitrelle, a medication used in in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF), in Greece.
Merck admits that its stock in pharmacy warehouses is limited and that when those stocks are insufficient it delivers the drug directly only to pharmacies that have a cooperation agreement with the company. Pharmacies that do not cooperate must go through additional bureaucratic steps, which the association says delay the first order by at least ten days.
ΠΦΣ argues that the practice deprives hundreds of women undergoing IVF of timely treatment and violates the company's duty to ensure equitable access. The association called the process "unacceptable" and "ineffective."
The president of the Federation of Pharmacists Cooperatives, Vasilis Birlikakis, noted that currently fewer than half of all Ovitrelle requests are being fulfilled. ΠΦΣ has sent a letter to the Ministry of Health and the National Organization for Medicines outlining these concerns.
Entities: Merck · Ministry of Health (Greece) · Ovitrelle · Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association · Vasilis Birlikakis
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Merck supplies Ovitrelle directly only to pharmacies that cooperate with the company. (Merck)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Less than half of Ovitrelle requests are currently being met. (Vasilis Birlikakis, President of the Federation of Pharmacists Cooperatives)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The selective distribution of Ovitrelle hinders access for hundreds of women undergoing IVF treatment. (Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association)
- [● 3 SOURCES] For non‑cooperating pharmacies, bureaucratic procedures cause the first order execution to take at least ten days. (Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Merck acknowledges that the quantities of Ovitrelle available in pharmacy warehouses are limited. (Merck)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association sent a letter to the Ministry of Health and the National Organization for Medicines complaining about Merck's practices. (Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association)