Cyprus is seeking to strengthen clinical research and improve patients’ access to innovative medicines, with government officials, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical industry representatives calling for closer cooperation to address delays in bringing new treatments into the country’s healthcare system.
The issues were discussed at AbbVie ONE – Human Centered Innovation, an event jointly organised by AbbVie and the MSJ Group at Nicosia’s Old Town Hall on October 8, under the auspices of President Nikos Christodoulides.
Bringing together representatives of the government, medical and scientific communities, healthcare organisations, the pharmaceutical industry and patient associations, the event examined how scientific advances could be translated more quickly into effective treatment options for patients in Cyprus.
Particular attention was given to access to innovative medicines, the development of clinical research, healthcare funding and the assessment of new therapies, as well as the need to address medical conditions for which existing treatment options remain limited.
In a message to participants, Christodoulides welcomed the initiative by AbbVie and the MSJ Group, stressing the importance of scientific research, innovation and cooperation in improving healthcare and quality of life.
He explained that “scientific progress could deliver meaningful benefits only when patients were able to access the treatments developed through research.”
For this reason, he described timely, safe, high-quality and equitable access to new and effective treatments as a government priority.
The president also emphasised Cyprus’ potential in clinical research and healthcare innovation, pointing to opportunities for closer cooperation between government institutions, universities, researchers and pharmaceutical companies.
Such cooperation, he said, could create further opportunities not only for healthcare but also for the Cypriot economy and society.
Meanwhile, Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michael Damianos emphasised the wider economic importance of innovation, describing it as a driver of economic development, social progress and improvements in quality of life.
He said “innovation remained a strategic government priority and an important part of the country’s development model.”
Furthermore, Damianos pointed to Cyprus’ comparative advantages and its potential to develop into a regional centre for innovation and technology.
However, he stressed that “achieving this objective would depend on stronger links between the state, businesses, research institutions and society, allowing scientific advances to translate into practical benefits.”
Turning to the pharmaceutical sector, Olga Brown, AbbVie Cyprus Portfolio Leader, said “the value of innovation should not be measured solely by scientific achievements, but also by the difference new treatments make to people’s lives.”
Behind every clinical trial and newly developed medicine, she explained, are patients seeking the opportunity to live with greater independence, dignity and quality of life.
Brown also emphasised the longstanding cooperation between AbbVie and the MSJ Group, stressing that the combination of international scientific expertise and detailed knowledge of the Cypriot healthcare environment could help improve treatment opportunities.
The discussion subsequently focused on the practical steps required to bring innovative medicines to patients.
MSJ Group Executive Manager Chrysi Iacovidou said the group’s longstanding partnership with AbbVie had helped strengthen the connection between international medical advances and the needs of patients in Cyprus.
She placed particular emphasis on scientific expertise, reliability and cooperation, explaining that patient access depends on a series of interconnected processes.
These begin with research and regulatory approval, followed by clinical assessment, reimbursement decisions, information for healthcare professionals and the safe use of approved treatments.
Consequently, she explained, the availability of a new medicine does not necessarily mean that patients can immediately receive it.
Iacovidou said the MSJ Group’s role was to help reduce the distance between pharmaceutical innovation and everyday patient care, acting as a link between international manufacturers, Cyprus’ medical community and patients.
The opportunities for strengthening clinical research were also addressed by Lambrina Barmpetaki, president and managing director of AbbVie Greece, Cyprus and Malta.
She said Cyprus had already undertaken a major healthcare reform through the introduction of the general healthcare system (Gesy), creating an opportunity to place greater emphasis on the quality of care, treatment outcomes and participation in international research.
According to Barmpetaki, the next stage of healthcare development should involve not only improving access to medicines but also strengthening Cyprus’ contribution to the generation of scientific knowledge and clinical evidence.
She also outlined AbbVie’s international research activities, reporting that the company invested approximately $13.8 billion in research and development in 2025.
She expressed the company’s ambition to contribute to the expansion of clinical research in Cyprus, alongside greater exchanges of expertise and the development of new scientific partnerships.
The cooperation with the MSJ Group, she added, could support these objectives by connecting international research capabilities with opportunities in the Cypriot healthcare sector.
However, medical professionals stressed that scientific advances alone were insufficient without systems capable of delivering treatments to patients.
Demetris Papamichael, director of medical oncology at the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) Oncology Centre, emphasised the obstacles that can arise between the approval of a new treatment and its availability to patients.
He emphasised the importance of clinical research, evidence of therapeutic benefit and equal access to innovative medicines, pointing out that regulatory approval represents only one stage in the process.
Effective mechanisms were also needed, he explained, to ensure that newly developed treatments reached the people who required them.
The discussion then turned to neurological conditions, where advances in medical research are creating opportunities for more targeted treatment.
Costas Michaelides, president of the Cyprus Neurological Society, stressed the need for modern neuroscience to move beyond managing symptoms towards earlier identification of diseases and more effective intervention in their underlying biological processes.
Referring to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and migraine, he explained that “progress involved more than simply increasing the number of available medicines.”
Equally important, he said, was the ability to determine which treatment was most appropriate for each patient and when it should be administered.
This approach, he explained, could improve the effectiveness of medical interventions while allowing treatment decisions to reflect individual patients’ needs.
Alongside the scientific considerations, participants also examined the financial and regulatory challenges associated with introducing new therapies into the healthcare system.
Olga Pitsillidou, an officer at the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), addressed the importance of assessing innovative medicines within a financially sustainable healthcare system.
She drew a distinction between treatments that are simply new and those that offer genuine additional clinical value compared with existing options.
According to Pitsillidou, decisions regarding the inclusion and reimbursement of medicines require evidence-based assessments of clinical benefits, quality-of-life improvements, costs and uncertainties in available research data.
These considerations, she explained, are essential when determining how limited healthcare resources should be allocated while maintaining access to effective treatments.
The discussion also included the perspective of patients themselves.
Marios Kouloumas, honorary president of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (Osak), shared his experience of living with rheumatoid arthritis, having been diagnosed with the condition at the age of just ten.
Reflecting on the development of medical treatments over the years, he described the considerable difference between a period when therapeutic options were limited and today’s opportunities for more personalised care.
Nevertheless, he stressed that “the existence of an innovative treatment does not automatically guarantee timely access”, emphasising the continuing difficulties patients can face.
His contribution reinforced the importance of considering patients’ experiences when developing healthcare policies and assessing new treatments.
Closing the event, MSJ Group director Savvas Iacovides referred to the group’s 82-year history in the Cypriot healthcare sector and its role in introducing new pharmaceutical treatments to the local market.
He also stressed the significance of its longstanding partnership with AbbVie, stressing the shared commitment to scientific progress and improvements in patient care.
Iacovides said innovation should ultimately be judged by its contribution to better treatments and improved quality of life.
“We are committed to continuing with knowledge, responsibility and dedication to a common goal: to turn progress and innovation into real benefits for people’s lives,” he said.
He further emphasised that the future of healthcare depended on collective effort and sustained cooperation between the organisations involved in developing, evaluating and delivering medical treatments.
The event concluded with a renewed emphasis on the need to connect scientific research, pharmaceutical innovation and patients’ everyday healthcare needs.
For Cyprus, the discussions highlighted two closely linked priorities, expanding the country’s involvement in clinical research and ensuring faster, fairer access to effective treatments.
At the same time, participants acknowledged that progress would depend on effective cooperation between government authorities, healthcare professionals, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and patient organisations.
Such cooperation, they stressed, would be essential to support responsible healthcare funding, evidence-based treatment decisions and a sustainable healthcare system, while enabling patients to benefit from continuing advances in medical science.
