Nicosia, Cyprus. Patients in Cyprus wait on average more than 500 days to access new medicines, among the longest delays in Europe, as officials warned the European Union is falling behind global competitors in pharmaceutical innovation and access.
Officials highlight access delays and competitiveness concerns
Speaking on Friday at a conference in Nicosia titled “Unlocking the potential of Europe’s life sciences: A policy agenda for competitiveness, innovation and patient access”, Cypriot and European officials highlighted growing delays in access to new treatments and warned that Europe risks losing ground in global pharmaceutical innovation and investment.
Damianos calls for urgent EU action
Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michalis Damianos said the EU must act urgently to boost competitiveness and ensure faster access to therapies, particularly for smaller member states such as Cyprus.
“The data is clear,” he said, noting that the EU’s share of global clinical trial initiations has dropped to around 12 per cent, compared to roughly 30 per cent in China. “This is not just a statistic, it means fewer opportunities for European patients to access innovative treatments in a timely manner.”
He added that it takes on average around 24 months for new medicines to reach patients in Europe, compared to just four months in the United States.
“For patients waiting for life-saving treatments, these delays are not administrative, they are deeply personal and often critical,” he said.
Four policy priorities outlined
Damianos outlined four priorities for EU policy: strengthening incentives for research and development, modernising the regulatory framework, improving access across all member states and accelerating digital transformation in healthcare.
“No patient should have to wait years for treatment simply because of where they live,” he said.
Calls for coordination with industry
Officials at the conference also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between member states and industry, warning that without coordinated action Europe risks further delays in patient access and declining investment in the sector.
What measures do you think would most effectively reduce delays in access to new medicines in Cyprus and across the EU?