Filenews 30 July 2025 - by Marilena Panagi
The risk of serious shortages of oncology drugs occurring at any time is visible and increased, warns the Health Insurance Organization, calling on hospital pharmacies to make them strictly available only to GHS beneficiaries.
The HIO has even sent a letter informing hospital pharmacies that the procedures for securing these preparations are extremely difficult and that their sale outside the GHS is prohibited.
The reason for the HIO's warnings was the finding that some of these oncology drugs are sold by hospital pharmacies to citizens who buy them, outside the GHS, following veterinarians' recommendations in order to administer them to their sick pets.
In its announcement to hospital pharmacies, entitled "Ban on the sale of anti-inflammatory drugs", the HIO characteristically states:
"The Organization wishes to inform you about the following pharmaceutical products that the HIO procures through tenders for GHS beneficiaries not to be sold due to great difficulty in their supply and increased risk of shortage. These are the formulations: Clorambucil tablets, Melphalan tablets, Mitozantrone, Lomustine capsules and Doxorubicin injection".
Oncology drugs, as well as other specialized preparations and preparations that are not available from private pharmacies, are purchased by the OAY through the procedures of the Purchasing and Procurement Directorate of the Ministry of Health. The procedures for their procurement include, among other things, negotiations on the purchase price, quantities based on needs, how stocks are delivered, etc.
Therefore, as the senior officer of the HIO, Gnossia Achniotou, explained to "F", "if they are not properly used for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the GHS, that is, our cancer patients, we risk not being able to serve our patients at any time".
"We fully understand the need to meet the needs of animals, but these medicines, which are secured through difficult procedures, arrive in Cyprus in quantities based on people's needs. When the quantities cannot be controlled since these drugs, as we find out, are sold to be used on animals, the risk of not being able to meet the needs of cancer patients is increased," added Mrs. Achniotou.
Perhaps, he said, "other procedures should be carried out, perhaps by other state agencies to secure medicines for veterinary purposes. However, we as HIOs must ensure the adequacy of our stocks for human use. That is, for cancer patients, the beneficiaries of the General Health System".
As we are informed, in addition to the Directorate of Purchases and Supplies of the Ministry of Health, which is directly involved in the process of securing the medicines, the Pharmaceutical Services are also aware of the situation, which they are monitoring.
