Thessaloniki pharmacist chief warns of medicine shortages

The Thessaloniki Pharmacists' Association on Monday warned of serious shortages in a number of important drugs, claiming that each pharmacy on its register sends away an average of 15 customers a day and in some cases has to wait as long as four months to fill their prescriptions.

"Right now we have a serious shortage in vaccinations for children aged 6 months to 15 years, including for measles, chicken pox and also hepatitis," association president Kyriakos Theodosiadis warned.

Theodosiadis reiterated claims that the shortage is mainly due to suppliers sending only limited amounts at a time in a bid to curb mass exports from Greek drug warehouses of medicines that are cheaper here.