Pharma CEOs alert President von der Leyen to risk of exodus to the US
Today, CEOs of the research-based pharmaceutical industry issued a stark warning to President von der Leyen that unless Europe delivers rapid, radical policy change then pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing is increasingly likely to be directed towards the US.
A survey of EFPIA member companies conducted last week – to which 18 international large and medium-sized innovative companies responded - identified as much as 85% of capital expenditure investments (approximately €50.6 billion) and as much as 50% of R&D expenditure (approximately €52.6 billion) potentially at risk. This is out of a current combined total of €164.8 billion in investments planned for the period 2025-2029 in the EU-27 territory. Over the next three months, companies that responded estimate that a total of €16.5 billion i.e. 10% of the total investment plans is at risk.
The US now leads Europe on every investor metric from availability of capital, intellectual property, speed of approval to rewards for innovation. In addition to the uncertainty created by the threat of tariffs, there is little incentive to invest in the EU and significant drivers to relocate to the US.
To stem the tide and help Europe retain, sustain and develop a researched-based pharmaceutical industry, the CEOs called for immediate action on:
- Achieving a competitive EU market that attracts, values and rewards innovation in line with other economies at the forefront of patient care
- Strengthening rather than weakening Europe's intellectual property provisions
- Adopting a world leading regulatory framework conducive to innovation
- Ensuring policy coherence across environmental and chemical legislation to secure a resilient manufacturing and supply chain of medicines in Europe.
Where innovation happens matters, it matters to patients, to healthcare systems, to the European economy and security. Europe needs to make a serious commitment to invest in a world class pharmaceutical ecosystem, or at best, risk being reduced to a consumer of other region’s innovation.