Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit
The Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit of IFET S.A. distributes unique and irreplaceable products, as well as innovative high-tech products that improve patients’ quality of life and daily routine. These products are essential for Public Health and are not available from pharmaceutical companies, either because they lack commercial interest or because they are new drugs not yet released in Greece.
It imports drugs for rare diseases (Orphan Drugs) intended for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of life-threatening or very serious conditions, with a prevalence in the European Union of less than 5 cases per 10,000 people. To date, more than 7,500 rare diseases have been recorded.
The services we provide daily with a sense of responsibility require vigilance and serious planning, with our primary concern being the combination of excellent quality and the lowest possible cost for the Institute’s imported pharmaceutical products.
The Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit collaborates closely with the Procurement and Supply Department, identifying partnership solutions with suppliers who are evaluated against specific high standards.
The import and distribution of all pharmaceutical products are carried out under the mandate of EOF (National Organization for Medicines), which determines their quantities and/or selling price in the Greek market.
The goal of the Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit is to fulfill customer orders as quickly as possible, to continuously inform them about new imports by the Institute, about any shortages, and their resolution.
The Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit distributes approximately 850 different formulations domestically each year, which are considered essential for Public Health across all therapeutic categories, with antineoplastic drugs and immunomodulatory agents being the main therapeutic categories. These cover the following cases:
Permanent - Emergency Coverage Drugs:
• Needs of Hospitals, EOPYY, Pharmaceutical Warehouses.
• Primarily imported from European countries and wherever else available, adhering to their appropriate manufacturing specifications (following relevant EOF approval).
• Maintenance of safety stocks and coverage of emergency needs and market shortages.
• Import of formulations through the Joint Procurement program following a request from the competent state authorities to the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).
Special Hospital Coverage Drugs:
• Needs of Hospitals for formulations for a) individualized patient treatments and b) the needs of their Clinics.
• Primarily imported from European countries and wherever else available, adhering to their appropriate manufacturing specifications (following relevant EOF approval).
Drugs on behalf of EOPYY Pharmacies & Private Pharmacies (Individual orders):
• Import of drugs not available in Greece on behalf of EOPYY Pharmacies, Military Pharmacies, and Private Pharmacies for individualized patient treatments. These primarily concern orphan products with recent marketing authorization in Europe and/or America.
Ioanna Gr. Papastergiou
Director of Pharmaceutical Coverage Unit
Tel.: +30 213 2002 458
Email: i.papastergiou@ifet.gr