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Patients in Cyprus wait more than 500 days on average to receive access to new medicines, placing the country among the slowest in Europe, according to speakers at a conference in Nicosia focused on pharmaceutical innovation and patient care.
The event, titled “Unlocking Europe’s Life Science Potential: A Policy Agenda for Competitiveness, Innovation and Patient Access,” brought together European and Cypriot officials, healthcare representatives, and industry leaders to examine delays in treatment access and Europe’s position in the global pharmaceutical sector.
Cyprus Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michael Damianos said the European Union needs faster action to strengthen competitiveness and improve access to medicines, especially in smaller member states like Cyprus.
He pointed to a sharp decline in Europe’s share of global clinical trial launches, which now stands at roughly 12 percent compared with around 30 percent in China. According to Damianos, the drop limits early treatment opportunities for European patients.
He also said patients in Europe typically wait about two years for new medicines to become available, while patients in the United States gain access in roughly four months.
Damianos outlined four areas he believes the EU should prioritize: stronger incentives for research and development, updated regulatory systems, better access across member states, and faster digital development in healthcare services.
Earlier in the conference, Nathalie Moll, Director-General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, said medicine access in Cyprus has worsened in recent years. Average waiting times increased from over 400 days in 2022 to more than 500 days today.
She referenced preliminary data from EFPIA’s Patients WAIT Indicator Survey, which found that medicine availability in Cyprus improved from 29 percent to 39 percent. Even so, the figure remains below the EU average of 45 percent.
Moll said delays are linked to several factors, including regulatory procedures, pricing systems, reimbursement policies, and limited investment in innovative treatments. She added that smaller countries often face extra obstacles such as infrastructure limitations, small patient populations for orphan drugs, and insufficient funding for advanced therapies.
According to Moll, pharmaceutical companies aim to deliver medicines quickly, but national approval and reimbursement systems strongly influence how long patients must wait.
Cyprus Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides said equal and timely access to medicines is one of the priorities of Cyprus during its Presidency of the Council of the EU.
He said the concept of “autonomy” is central to current policy efforts, particularly regarding Europe’s ability to secure medicine supplies and healthcare access during crises.
Charalambides added that policymakers are focusing on the availability, affordability, and accessibility of treatments while also strengthening healthcare systems across Europe. He stressed that scientific advances only have real impact when patients can receive them without unnecessary delays.
In a recorded message, Olivér Várhelyi said upcoming EU reforms are intended to strengthen the life sciences industry and speed up patient access to innovation.
He referred to the proposed Biotech Act and pharmaceutical reforms currently under discussion, calling them the biggest update to EU medicines legislation in more than two decades.
Opening the conference, Kyriakos Mikellis said Europe’s policy framework must keep pace with scientific development and remain aligned with both national and European priorities.
The conference took place under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU and focused on improving Europe’s life sciences sector while promoting fair access to treatment across member states.
