New prices for medicines started in Cyprus on Monday, February 2nd. This update follows a yearly review by the Ministry of Health. The changes affect how much patients pay for some medicines in the General Healthcare System (GHS).
The Ministry of Health checks prices each year. This helps to keep the healthcare system working well. This year, 291 out of 2,419 medicines have new prices. Most price changes are small. However, 197 medicines are now more expensive. Patients may have to pay more for these if they choose the original, costly brands.
Patients have options to save money. For many medicines, there are cheaper versions. These have the same active ingredient and strength. Pharmacists must tell patients about these cheaper alternatives. Patients can ask for a less expensive medicine. This means their costs will not increase.
Doctors can also help patients. They can write new prescriptions for cheaper, similar medicines. This helps patients get the treatment they need without paying more.
Some patients will pay more for their chosen medicines. This is for the 197 drugs with price increases. Full details of the new prices are on the Ministry of Health website. Patients should talk to their pharmacists and doctors. They can find cheaper options to avoid paying extra.