The Greek Ministry of Health is moving to adopt European expertise in evaluating new health technologies, with legislative changes expected this Oct. to bring national rules in line with the EU’s Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Regulation.
In preparation, the ministry—together with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the EU’s SG REFORM taskforce—organized a conference on strengthening Greece’s HTA framework. Participants included patient associations, pharmaceutical and medical technology industry representatives, national agencies, and academics.
EU and WHO officials praised Greece for adopting a systematic approach, drawing on best practices from member states with advanced HTA systems.
A dedicated working group at the ministry, with observers from patient groups and the pharmaceutical sector, is already advancing reforms. The first steps will focus on conflict-of-interest rules, clearer procedures, criteria for product submissions, and the selection of evaluators. These elements are included in a draft law scheduled for parliamentary vote in Oct.
“This is the first step toward a full legislative redesign to ensure complete alignment with the European regulation,” said Aris Angelis, Secretary General for Strategic Planning at the Health Ministry.
He noted that a pilot application will begin with one pharmaceutical product, followed by gradual improvements, stressing that the reform “responds to real system needs and, above all, to the needs of patients.”
The event also reviewed progress on new HTA guidelines discussed in Dec., including the PICO framework, which structures evaluations of oncology and advanced therapies by population, intervention, comparison, and outcome. Discussions further covered methods of clinical and economic evaluation, along with next steps for pilot testing.
WHO’s Head of Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens, Dr. João Breda, highlighted the organization’s support for Greece in strengthening care quality and patient safety. He emphasized that in today’s fast-changing health landscape, “innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility.”
