medicine availability — medicine availability — The National e-Health Authority has dismissed concerns regarding the availability of medicines in Cyprus, clarifying that prescriptions issued abroad do not jeopardise supply.
On Friday, the authority responded to recent worries expressed by the Cyprus Pharmaceutical Association about the impact of online prescriptions. They confirmed that the MyHealth@EU system, aimed at enhancing cross-border healthcare services, actually bolsters the monitoring and oversight of medicinal supply rather than threatening it.
Officials pointed out that presenting prescriptions from other EU countries is not a novel concept. The practice has been in place for years, guided by Directive 2011/24/EU, which supports patients’ rights to receive medical treatment and fill prescriptions across member states under specific conditions. The innovative aspect now is the digital format of these prescriptions, which facilitates safe information sharing among EU countries.
Such digital prescriptions allow access to patients’ medical and prescription histories. This capability plays a crucial role in preventing the issuance of multiple or unchecked prescriptions, thus improving transparency and stock management.
At a broader European level, various policies are being introduced to enhance the availability of medicines and strengthen health system resilience. Initiatives like the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe and new mechanisms set by the European Medicines Agency aim to monitor and manage medicine shortages effectively.
The National e-Health Authority emphasised that these measures are designed to prevent shortages and ensure uninterrupted access to necessary medicines across all EU member states. Cyprus is actively leveraging European digital infrastructure to foster collaboration within the health sector, moving towards a more modern and effective healthcare system.
Such initiatives are expected to enhance transparency, ensure better monitoring of pharmaceutical supply, and safeguard the availability of medicines, ultimately improving service and protection for all citizens. The eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure (eHDSI), operating under the MyHealth@EU initiative, facilitates secure and efficient health data exchange among EU countries.
Included in this cross-border electronic health service are essential components such as ePrescription, eDispensation, and Patient Summaries, which are integral to a comprehensive electronic health record system.
