PrEP in Greece: Free Access, Hospital Pharmacies, and the Beneficiary Code

PrEP in Greece is fully funded and free of charge, thanks to a nationwide program launched in mid-2025. That is the good news. The system relies on a unique, privacy-focused digital approach to keep your identity shielded, but the medication itself can only be picked up from specific public hospital pharmacies. The days of desperately ordering generic pills online are mostly over, provided you can navigate the state system.

Who Can Get It (Eligibility)

The Greek system provides free PrEP to HIV-negative individuals at increased risk. The criteria are broad enough to cover most who need it:

• Men who have sex with men (MSM) engaging in unprotected sex.
• Sex workers.
• People with an HIV-positive sexual partner.
• Intravenous drug users.
• Anyone recommended by a physician as part of a prevention plan.

How to Get It (The Pathway)

Greece uses its National Electronic Prescription System (ΣΗΣ) for PrEP, but with a privacy twist.

1. The Doctor Visit: You cannot go to just any doctor. You must consult a licensed physician specializing in General/Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Dermatology-Venereology, or Obstetrics-Gynecology.
2. The Beneficiary Code: To protect your privacy, the doctor won't put your name on the prescription. Instead, the electronic system generates a "Beneficiary Code" derived from your AMKA (social security number). This code guarantees your anonymity through the rest of the process.
3. The Testing: The doctor will require you to test negative for HIV and undergo screening for other STIs before issuing the prescription.
4. The Pharmacy Run: You cannot pick up PrEP at a street-corner pharmacy. Medication is dispensed exclusively through 24 designated public hospital pharmacies across the country (e.g., Evangelismos or Laiko in Athens, AHEPA in Thessaloniki).

If You Can't Wait (The Workaround)

Since the public program is free and active, bridging the gap isn't as desperate here as in some other countries.

• The Private Doctor Route: If waiting for an appointment with a public system doctor takes too long, you can pay out-of-pocket to see a private specialized doctor (like a dermatologist-venereologist) who can still issue the electronic prescription via the national system using your AMKA.
• Self-Sourcing (Import): Before 2025, many Greeks bought generic PrEP online. While still technically possible, there is little reason to do this now. Self-sourcing means paying out of pocket and managing your own monitoring in a country that now hands the pills out for free. For readers still managing their own monitoring, see our Home Testing Guide.

Non-negotiable regardless of route: You must confirm you are HIV-negative before starting PrEP. Starting PrEP with an undetected HIV infection risks drug resistance and makes the virus much harder to treat.

What Happens After (Monitoring)

The Greek national protocol mandates a 3-month follow-up rhythm from the date of your initial referral.

• The 3-Month Check: You must return to your prescribing doctor every three months to renew your prescription. They will re-test you for HIV and screen for other STIs.
• Three-Site Testing: Insist on three-site testing (swabs for your throat, genitals, and rectum). Standard public screening sometimes defaults to blood and urine, which will miss localized infections.
• Kidney Function: Ensure your doctor is checking your kidney function (creatinine) regularly, as this is vital when taking oral PrEP.
• Monthly Pickups: While a prescription can be written for up to three months, you typically have to visit the hospital pharmacy monthly to actually collect your pills.

What's Available (Medication Formats)

• Daily oral PrEP: The standard. Generics containing TDF/FTC.

Remember that daily oral PrEP takes 7 days of consecutive use to be fully effective for anal sex.

• On-demand (2-1-1): Supported by European guidelines, but it relies on your doctor's familiarity with the protocol. Ask for it if you don't want to take a daily pill.
• Injectable (CAB-LA / Apretude): As of 2026, the Greek public system revolves around oral generics. Injectables are not yet standard fare here.

Route Comparison