Major executives from international pharmaceutical firms are issuing strong warnings that new medications may face delays reaching the German market due to evolving U.S. pharmaceutical policies. According to “Die Zeit”, industry leaders describe a worrying trend and structural upheaval within the global drug supply chain.
Hagen Pfundner, the head of the Swiss conglomerate Roche, pointed out that as little as a third of drugs currently available in the United States even reach Germany. He cautioned that this situation is expected to worsen as many corporations are reacting cautiously and may need to postpone new product launches.
Matthias Berninger, Bayer’s chief lobbyist, reinforced this concern, stating that what they are observing is not a distant threat but a realized reality. He predicted that Europe is heading toward a period where hardly any new medications receive approval. Berninger characterized this development as a “tectonic shift” in the industry-a problem the public has not yet grasped.
The root cause of this slowdown is attributed to the policies championed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. These policies required major pharmaceutical corporations to prevent them from selling their new drugs in the U.S. for a higher price than they were selling them in a group of Western nations that includes Germany. Consequently, these massive companies are choosing not to launch these medications in these specific countries at all.
The clear result of this trend has been a sharp decline, with the number of new drugs introduced to Germany already falling by more than half. Industry commentary reflects deep concern: Alexander Horn, CEO of U.S. giant Eli Lilly, admitted that it is possible they may not introduce certain medications into the German market. Adding to the apprehension, Chris Boerner, CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, remarked that “Germany stands at a crossroads”.