Last update:
01-Feb-2021

With the increase in the relative proportion of elderly people, the high incidence of chronic diseases and the associated augmentation in the demand for, and use of, health services, an upward trend in health spending has been recorded in recent years, including pharmaceutical expenses. Under these circumstances, the use of generic drugs is vital for the sustainability of national health systems. From 2013 onwards, the penetration of generic drugs in the pharmaceutical markets of Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal under the auspices of health technology assessment and European competition law, varies among the countries of the European South. This variation was plotted, drawing evidence from the fields of volume-value-price fluctuation of generic drugs in the counties under study. The low penetration of generic drugs in Greece was documented, in spite of the comparative Greek domestic assets which could make Greece a potential European production center of generic drugs. This study highlighted the critical role of health technology assessment and the inescapable need for its harmonization with the principles of commercial competition. As the use of generic drugs, based on cost-effectiveness advantages, has an undeniable impact on national economies, linking cost containment to the response to the health needs of citizens, encouragement of their use demands further structural pharmaceutical policy measures, implementation of objectives of health technology assessment bodies, and constant vigilance on the part of European competition authorities.

Key words: European competition law, Generic drugs, Health technology assessment.