Greece faces funding challenges for obesity medication

The Greek Ministry of Health’s obesity medication program, which provided treatments and counseling to approximately 45,000 citizens, was suspended after being removed from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility funding. This suspension left pharmacists reportedly owed nearly 14 million euros for medications distributed during May and June.

While legislative regulations were passed to allow repayment through the National Central Authority for Health Procurement (EKAPY), the process has faced delays pending a joint decision from the Ministries of Health and Finance. Efforts are underway to transition the ‘Prolamvano’ program to a state-funded model to remove the financial burden from patients. Resuming services requires settling outstanding pharmacist payments and negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Due to high costs, officials may revise eligibility criteria to control expenditures.

As of September 2026, the cost for the free provision of obesity medications during the first half of the year has exceeded 50 million euros. A ministerial decision has been signed to transfer 51.2 million euros from EKAPY to IDYKA to reimburse private pharmacies. However, the program’s continuity remains uncertain as the EOPYY Negotiation Committee prepares to meet with the two supplying pharmaceutical companies. There are concerns regarding whether these companies will accept the discounts or participate in the clawback and rebate schemes necessary for the program to function under national funding.

Additionally, the transition to national funding has caused reimbursement delays for medical staff. The Athens Medical Association reports that doctors, including specialists in pathology and endocrinology, have not been compensated for services rendered under the ‘Prolamvano’ preventive screening program throughout the year.