Greece: Industry Fury At Govt Price Moves

Greece's recent drug price moves (Marketletter October 13) have led tosome companies threatening to discontinue production and supply. Also, pharmacists have threatened an indefinite strike from October 31, claiming they will be forced out of business, but the government has made it plain that it will not cave in to pressure.

Significantly, an Athens public prosecutor has ordered a preliminary enquiry to establish if drug companies are trying to blackmail the government into raising certain prices and whether Boehringer Ingelheim is setting its prices too high.

BI's Greek subsidiary has said that eight drugs accounting for 80% of local sales will be withdrawn: Bisolvan (bromhexine), Buscopan (hyoscine-N-butylbromide), Lonarid (paracetamol), Mucosolvan (ambroxol), Persantin (dipyridamole), the supplement Geriatric Pharmaton, Mesulid (nimesulide) and Dulco-Lax (bisacodyl). It has also threatened a total production ban, while unnamed sources suggest a transfer of production to Turkey, which is highly sensitive, as Turkey has allegedly been violating Greek airspace and relations are tense.