This is a byproduct of socialized medicine more than anything the board did. Unfortunately, most of these government run health care systems have no money to spend on preventive medicine.
Italy refusing to pay for V is a BIG FSCKING DEAL! They're one of the top 5 EU markets - now AMRN is blocked from 2 of them, including Germany. This is why nobody wants to buy them out - not much money to be made, too many countries refusing to pay.
36% of Italian deaths every year are from CVD, but they won't pay ~ $180-$200/mo/patient to save some of them from dying too young is too expensive - that's sad. The cost/benefit really doesn't add up for someone who has a stroke - they usually need extensive rehab and home care, some for the rest of their lives - they will cost Italy WAY more than a V scrip and it's not even close. Unless Italy doesn't pay for recovering/living after you have a stroke. A great friend of mine had one last year, he'll never be close to normal, too much nerve damage to the left side of the body, which I think means the right side of his brain is where the stroke was - their healthcare expenses are huge even with help from Medicare.