Greek pharmaceutical supply and safety oversight

The Greek National Organization for Medicines (EOFH) has moved from institutional coordination to public health warnings regarding pharmaceutical safety.

Initially, the EOFH convened a meeting with various pharmaceutical associations and institutional bodies to discuss strengthening the pharmaceutical supply chain, improving market oversight, and ensuring the adequacy of medicines in Greece.

Following these efforts to secure the supply chain, the EOFH issued an urgent warning concerning the rise of unauthorized medicines and dietary supplements sold through online platforms. The organization noted that many websites, some mimicking Greek language and style, are marketing products with unverified therapeutic claims and questionable origins. The EOFH cautioned citizens against using sites that lack legitimate credentials or require contact via forms and telephone centers without providing full company details.

Expanding on these safety concerns, EOFH President Spyros Sapounas has issued specific warnings regarding unauthorized medical treatments and the illegal online sale of pharmaceuticals. Sapounas highlighted the danger of procedures such as plasmapheresis being performed in private offices or apartments rather than clinical settings. He emphasized that any injectable or intravenous treatment approved by the EOF Scientific Approval Council is “strictly authorized for hospital use only,” necessitating specialized equipment and medical personnel.

Furthermore, Sapounas reminded the public that the sale of medicines via the internet is prohibited in Greece and that medications must only be obtained through pharmacies. He also cautioned against misinformation spread by influencers regarding dietary supplements, noting that while products like vitamins are permitted, they must be administered as oral capsules or tablets and “never administered intravenously.”