German Pharmaceutical Company Biotest To Stop Shipments to Greece in July–Bills Have Not Been Paid

Biotest also has an office in the US in Florida.  According to this article there are other medical issues with hospitals cutting off vital drugs and limiting surgical procedures that are owned by the state.  It continues on to talk about exhausted doctors and their lack of supplies as well.  BD

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FRANKFURT/ATHENS (Reuters) - German pharmaceutical firm Biotest said it would stop shipments to Greece in July, becoming the first drugmaker to announce it would quit the debt-mired country's market because its bills had not been paid.

Though a relatively small player in Greece, the company's exit sets an unwelcome precedent for a country whose healthcare system is crumbling under the weight of economic crisis and administrative deadlock.

Biotest's Ramroth said Greece had paid all its outstanding bills for 2010 but still owed the company - which makes products from blood plasma to treat severe burns, hemophilia or tetanus - 7 million euros ($8.8 million) for 2011.

Already, Greece's rundown state hospitals are cutting off vital drugs, limiting non-urgent operations and rationing even basic medical materials for exhausted doctors.

http://news.yahoo.com/germanys-biotest-first-drugmaker-exit-greece-050833865.html