New Joint Ministerial Decision on the 2026 Aerotherapy Allowance: A Detailed Guide for KAPA3 Beneficiaries

At the Cancer Patient Guidance Center—KAPA3, we remain committed to providing accurate and timely information to cancer patients and their families regarding the rights and social benefits to which they are entitled. With the aim of making your daily life easier and ensuring you have full access to beneficial legislative provisions, we present a comprehensive guide to the granting of the air therapy allowance, in accordance with the recent Joint Ministerial Decision (No. 89399 EX 2026) published in the Government Gazette, Issue B, No. 3295, dated June 11, 2026.

The air therapy allowance applies to the summer season of 2026.

The amount is set at 250.00 euros and will be paid as a lump sum to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts on July 10, 2026.

The amount is unseizable and fully exempt from any tax or withholding.

  1. Who Are the Beneficiaries

The benefit is granted to disabled retirees of the State and the e-EFKA. Specifically, beneficiaries are those who fall into the following categories:

a) Pensioners referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 1 of Article 6 of Legislative Decree 4605/1966.

b) Pensioners under subparagraph (c) of the aforementioned paragraph 1 of Article 6 of Legislative Decree 4605/1966, who, according to 

the opinion of the competent Health Committee for the years 2020 through 2026, have been deemed to be in need of this allowance and belong to the following categories of retirees:

  1. Disabled officers under Law No. 2588/1921 and Law No. 875/1979 on military retirement.
  2. Disabled officers under Law No. 362/1943.

iii. Disabled enlisted personnel under Article 1 of Legislative Decree 1044/1971, as amended by Article 1 of 

Law 1043/1980.

Disabled members of the former Municipal Police who were subject to Legislative Decree 330/1947.

Disabled members of the Security Forces under Law 1579/1950 and those disabled members of the Coast Guard,

the Fire Department, and the Agricultural Police who are treated as equivalent to them.

Disabled members of the National Resistance under Provisional Act 1855/1951, Legislative Decree 412/1970, and Law 1543/1985.

vii. Persons with disabilities under Law 1370/1944 (who sustained their disabilities during peacetime while in service and as a result thereof, and 

receive a disability pension).

viii. Persons with disabilities from the anti-dictatorship struggle under Law 1543/1985.

Disabled civilians under Law 812/1943.

Disabled civilians under Law 1863/1989.

c) Civilian retirees who sustained disabilities as a result of their service (Decision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security No. 

754.6/117/3912/March 24, 1969) and

d) OSE retirees who left the service and are receiving a pension due to tuberculosis.

3. Who Is Exempt from Payment

According to the Government Gazette, the following categories are not eligible for the air therapy allowance:

Recipients of other benefits: Those who have received or are set to receive a corresponding air therapy allowance from any other source (such as public entities, private entities, public benefit organizations, etc.).

Spa Therapy Beneficiaries: Those who have been deemed eligible for spa therapy for the year 2026 by the Directorate for Reserve Combatants, Veterans, War Victims, and War Disabled (DEPATHA).

New Pensioners: Citizens whose pension is payable after September 30, 2026, or whose order for registration in the Pensioner Registers is issued after October 31, 2026.

  1. What to Do in Case of Non-Payment

If you are eligible but the benefit does not appear in your account by the scheduled date of July 10, 2026, the law entitles you to file a retroactive claim.

You may submit a request by December 31, 2026, at the latest, to the following agencies (depending on your category):

To Section E of the Income Policy Directorate of the General Accounting Office (p. 2) .

To the General Directorate of Public Sector Pensions of e-EFKA (p. 2).

You can contact the Kapa3 team 

13 Kostis Palamas Street, 3rd floor (Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.).

Contact Numbers: 210 5221424 & 6906265170.

Email: info@kapa3.gr

Ministerial Decision (Government Gazette, FEK 230/B/22.01.2026) on Clinical Trials: Streamlining Research in Greece

The clinical trials regulation in Greece, published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ) 230/B/22.01.2026, establishes a unified and simplified framework for contracts and financial management of clinical trials, non-interventional studies, and other health research projects. This clinical trials regulation in Greece directly affects clinical trials with medicines, studies involving medical devices, and research conducted in hospitals and public health institutions, aiming to reduce bureaucracy, ensure transparency, and protect participating patients.

Clinical trials regulation in Greece

WHY THE NEW DECISION WAS NECESSARY

Until now, procedures for signing contracts for clinical trials and studies were often delayed, complex, and varied between institutions. This slowed down research and discouraged sponsors and research teams. The new Ministerial Decision aims to create a clear, unified framework with common standards, defined responsibilities, and specific timelines.

WHAT CHANGES FOR CLINICAL TRIALS AND STUDIES

Under the new regulation:

  • Standardized contracts for clinical trials and studies are introduced,

  • Clear deadlines for contract signing are established,

  • The use of electronic procedures is promoted,

  • The financial management framework of research projects by responsible institutions is clarified.

These changes aim to reduce administrative burdens and facilitate the daily operations of research teams and health institutions.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR PATIENTS

Of particular importance is the reaffirmation that participating patients are not financially burdened by their involvement in clinical trials or studies. The costs of examinations, procedures, and services related to the study are covered by the sponsor, ensuring the protection of patients’ rights and safety, and reinforcing trust in the research process.

WHY THIS REGULATION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR RESEARCH IN GREECE

The Ministerial Decision published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ 230/B/22.01.2026) represents a significant step toward improving the research environment in Greece. By creating unified and clear procedures for contract signing and financial management of clinical trials and studies, it reduces long-standing administrative barriers that delayed the implementation of research projects. At the same time, it strengthens institutional security for all stakeholders—researchers, health institutions, and sponsors—while fostering transparency and accountability.

In this context, Greece can become more competitive in research, facilitate participation in international research initiatives, and make more effective use of its scientific knowledge and human resources. In the healthcare field, accelerating and streamlining processes helps align research more closely with clinical practice and patients’ real needs, benefiting society as a whole.

Kapa3 closely monitors institutional developments affecting health research and clinical trials, highlighting their importance for patient protection and the improvement of care quality.

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3