Pharmaceutical companies in south Cyprus warns citizens of risks to buying meds in north Cyprus

The south Cyprus pharmaceutical companies association (Sfek) on Thursday  warned that medicines sold in north Cyprus involved risks for patients, as it voiced concern over a recent government decision to allow people living in south Cyprus to buy meds from north Cyprus for personal use.

In a written statement on Thursday, Sfek also defended the high prices of medicines in south Cyprus, arguing they were set by the state through legislation.

No one else can interfere in the pricing policy and Sfek has absolutely no say in price setting, the association said.

More and more Greek Cypriots venture to the north to buy their meds where prices for many products oftentimes being 50 per cent lower if not less.

Sfek criticised the government decision to allow purchases for private consumption, suggesting it violated the laws of south Cyprus and also cast shadows over the state’s pricing policy.

We reiterated that buying medicines from the occupied areas involves serious dangers for patients’ health and all citizens in general, Sfek said.

It said drugs were sold illegally by pharmacies which may not observe the rules for proper storage, are not subjected to EU checks and no one knows whether pharmacists have been trained to exercise the profession.

Sfek once more expresses its deep concern and stressed that patients are putting their health and even their life in danger when they obtain medicines of dubious quality that are supplied without checks by pharmacies, which operate without a permit from the official authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, the statement said.