Greece has launched its first nationwide Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) program for HIV prevention, that offers free antiretroviral drugs to HIV-negative individuals who are at high risk of exposure.
Legal and regulatory frameworks enabling PrEP access in Greece were introduced in 2022. However, administrative delays postponed full implementation until recently, following a directive signed by the Alternate Minister of Health of Greece, Eirini Agapidaki.
Eligible PReP recipients include HIV-negative individuals who have a sexual partner living with HIV, who engage in unprotected sex or sex work, share needles, or live and work in environments where HIV is highly prevalent.
PrEP prescriptions are first issued via the Greek National Electronic Prescription System by specialists in general medicine, pathology, dermatology-venereology, and gynecology.
While each recipient in Greece is traditionally identified by their unique social security (AMKA) number, an anonymous “Beneficiary Code” is derived from this number, and used to administer PReP medication while protecting recipient’s identities.
PReP medication is 100% subsidised by the Greek healthcare system, so there’s no cost to recipients. At the moment, PReP medication is distributed only through 24 hospital pharmacies around Greece. They are:
Athens
Evangelismos General Hospital, Laiko General Hospital, Alexandra General Hospital, Ippokrateio General Hospital, G. Gennimatas General Hospital, Sotiria Thoracic Diseases Hospital, KAT General Hospital, General Hospital of Attica Sismanoglio, General Oncological Hospital of Kifissia Oi Agioi Anargyroi, Tzaneio Prefecture General Hospital of Piraeus, West Attica General Hospital Agia Varvara, Asklipieio Voulas Hospital
Thessaloniki
AHEPA Thessaloniki University General Hospital, Ippokrateio General Hospital
Rest of Greece
General Hospital Venizeleio (Heraklion, Crete), University General Hospital of Heraklion (Heraklion, Crete), Rhodes General Hospital Andreas G. Papandreou, General Hospital of Chios, General University Hospital of Patras, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis.
