Greece legislated PrEP reimbursement through EOPYY (the national health insurance organisation), making it officially free for people with Greek social security coverage. Navigating the system requires knowing the right route — public hospital infectious disease specialists are the key, and community Checkpoints can help you find the right doctors.

The Short Version

  • PrEP is reimbursed via the national system for people with an AMKA number and active coverage
  • Requires an electronic prescription from a specialized doctor (General/Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Dermatology-Venereology, or Obstetrics-Gynecology)
  • Dispensed exclusively at designated public hospital pharmacies
  • Privacy is protected: prescriptions use an anonymous "Beneficiary Code" instead of your name
  • Without AMKA: generic TDF/FTC available privately for approximately €30–50/month
  • Ath Checkpoint can refer you to specific gay-affirming doctors — ask them first

Step 1: Get Your AMKA

An AMKA (Αριθμός Μητρώου Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης) is the Greek social security number. For Greek residents, AMKA is required to access free public healthcare including PrEP.

If you're an EU citizen living in Greece, you can obtain an AMKA at your local ΙΚΑ/ΕΦΚΑ (social security) office. You'll need your passport and evidence of address/employment/registration.

Tourists and short-term visitors typically cannot access EOPYY-reimbursed PrEP during their stay.

Step 2: Find a Gay-Affirming Loimoxiologos

The main access point for PrEP in Athens is the infectious disease specialist (Λοιμοξιολόγος) at a public hospital. The key hospitals:

Andreas Syggros Hospital Ionos Dragoumi 5, 161 21 Kaisariani | Phone: 210 726 5100 The primary dermatological/venereal disease hospital in Athens. The infectious disease team here are the most experienced with PrEP prescriptions for gay and bisexual men.

Attikon University Hospital Rimini 1, 124 62 Chaidari | Phone: 210 583 2000 An alternative — infectious disease department familiar with PrEP.

The stigma issue: Not every doctor at these hospitals is equally gay-affirming or familiar with PrEP for gay and bisexual men specifically. Ask Ath Checkpoint (mycheckpoint.gr) for their current list of recommended, gay-affirming doctors — they maintain up-to-date knowledge of who to see and who to avoid.

Step 3: The Prescription Process

At the appointment, the doctor will:

  1. Confirm you're HIV-negative (HIV test)
  2. Run baseline STI screen (syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis B/C)
  3. Check kidney function (creatinine)
  4. Issue an ηλεκτρονική συνταγή (electronic prescription) via the national system

To protect your privacy, the electronic system replaces your AMKA with an anonymous "Beneficiary Code". Your name won't appear on the prescription.

Quarterly monitoring is required to renew the prescription: HIV test, STI screen, and kidney function. These are done at the hospital or private clinic.

Step 4: Hospital Pharmacy

PrEP is dispensed exclusively at 24 designated public hospital pharmacies — not at standard community or EOPYY-contracted pharmacies. Most major hospitals in Athens (e.g., Evangelismos, Laiko, A. Syngros) and Thessaloniki (e.g., AHEPA) participate.

While prescriptions can be issued for up to three months, you must visit the hospital pharmacy monthly to execute the prescription and receive your medication. The medication is dispensed completely free of charge.

Without AMKA — Private Route

Without Greek social security coverage:

  • Generic TDF/FTC is available at private pharmacies for approximately €30–50/month
  • You need a prescription from any Greek doctor — a private infectious disease specialist or dermatologist
  • Ath Checkpoint can advise on doctors who will see you privately and understand PrEP

Private appointment cost: approximately €60–100 per visit.