Cyprus Faces ...
Cyprus Faces Delays in Access to Innovative Medicines, Prompting Urgent Calls for Reform
On May 9, 2025, the Cyprus Association of Research and Development Pharmaceutical Companies (KEFEA) raised concerns over significant delays in the approval and availability of innovative medicines within the country. According to the European W.A.I.T. (Waiting to Access Innovative Therapies) Indicator study by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Cyprus ranks 22nd out of 36 European countries in patient access to new treatments.
The study highlights that the average time from European approval to patient availability in Cyprus is 531 days, with some therapies taking up to 1,300 days. Furthermore, only 63 out of 173 approved innovative medicines (36%) were made available in Cyprus during the 2020–2023 period, compared to a European average of 46%. Alarmingly, just 3% of these medicines are provided without restrictions, while 90% require specific case-by-case approvals.
KEFEA attributes these delays to systemic inefficiencies, including the transfer of the Named Patient Requests Committee (EOA) under the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), which has exacerbated delays in providing urgent medications. The association urges the HIO and the Ministry of Health to take immediate action to address the backlog of pending medicine evaluations and streamline the approval process to ensure timely patient access to essential treatments.
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