Around 46,000 beneficiaries who receive free obesity medication have been left in uncertainty following the suspension of the program on June 30, when funding from the Recovery and Resilience Facility expired. The same funding cutoff also affected all prevention programs financed through the EU recovery fund.

The Ministry of Health has submitted a request for a two-month extension of the obesity program, citing its importance and the support it has provided to people living with obesity. However, it remains unclear whether the European Commission will approve the request.

If no extension is granted, the interruption is expected to affect only the summer months. From September, the entire “Prevent” (Prolamvano) program is expected to continue using national funding, as announced by the Prime Minister during the recent ygeiamou.gr Health Conference.

“We are currently in discussions with the European Commission regarding the obesity program, as certain programs considered particularly important may, in theory, be extended until August 31. A request has been submitted, but I do not yet know whether it will be approved,” Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said in an interview with ERTnews Radio.

Deputy Health Minister Eirini Agapidaki, who oversees the “Prevent” program, said in an interview on the Press Talk program that announcements concerning the 46,000 beneficiaries, who are scheduled to receive eight treatment doses, will be made in the coming days.

“We cannot keep the obesity program open indefinitely. Together with the Minister, we will examine what options are available. However, for the 46,000 people currently enrolled, who are entitled to receive up to eight doses under the Joint Ministerial Decision, we will have announcements in the coming days,” she said.

The current gap in treatment has arisen because the free medication program began last December instead of its originally planned September launch. As a result, many participants have not yet completed the intended eight-month treatment cycle.

If the extension is denied, concerns have been raised over whether interrupting treatment could worsen patients’ condition. Those wishing to continue therapy would also have to cover the high monthly cost of the medication themselves.

PASOK MP Dimitris Oikonomou, who represents Athens A, criticized the government’s handling of the issue.

“The government has been weighed, measured, and found wanting. This time, the word ‘weighed’ is particularly fitting. The sudden suspension of the obesity medication program leaves more than 40,000 patients in limbo, depriving them of a genuine opportunity to address a chronic health condition,” he said.

He added that patients now face a choice between paying more than €300 per month out of pocket to continue treatment or discontinuing therapy and risking the loss of the progress they have already made.

Oikonomou also argued that the Ministry of Health had known for months when the eight-month program would end.

“Instead of ensuring its continuation, the ministry entered into negotiations for an extension only at the last minute and is now attempting to shift responsibility onto doctors. That claim does not stand up to scrutiny. The program began in December with a clearly defined end date of June 30. The government knew from day one when it would expire,” he said.