Cyprus reports lower access to innovative medicines in new European report

On May 19, 2026, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) published the W.A.I.T. Indicator report, assessing patient access to 168 innovative medicines approved between 2021 and 2024. Cyprus ranks 21st out of 36 European countries, providing access to only 66 of these medicines, which equates to 39% compared to the European average of 45%. Of the available drugs in Cyprus, 92% are subject to restrictions or specific authorization procedures, with only 2% dispensed without such measures. In contrast, Germany leads the ranking with 156 out of 168 medicines available without restrictions. Cyprus performs better than the 36-country average in terms of waiting times, recording 528 days compared to the average of 597 days. Germany provides the fastest access at 158 days, while Romania remains the slowest at 1,110 days. Despite the shorter wait, access remains limited for most categories, with the notable exception of oncology, where 57% of new cancer medicines are available in Cyprus.