Pharma Association: Healthcare System Unprepared for War and Crises

Germany's pharmaceutical industry association, BPI, has raised concerns about the country's insufficient preparedness within the healthcare and drug supply sectors for crisis situations such as wars or pandemics. The association has released a security strategy aimed at raising awareness and promoting national and European self-sufficiency in drug supply.

According to BPI, Germany's drug supply is highly vulnerable, with approximately 80 percent of medicines being generic and two-thirds of active pharmaceutical ingredients produced in Asia, particularly in China and India. This significant dependence on foreign suppliers poses a substantial risk, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when India suspended drug exports to secure its own needs.

The association argues that geopolitical tensions, climate crises, and emerging threats like antimicrobial resistance exacerbate the situation. There is very limited production of active pharmaceutical ingredients within Europe. For instance, penicillin production in Europe is concentrated in a few sites, and the failure of just one facility—due to technical issues, energy shortages, or cyberattacks—could jeopardize the entire continent's antibiotic supply. Such production sites are now considered strategic "resilience anchors."

Sebastian Schütze, who heads policy at BPI, emphasizes that price pressure on generics has driven production out of Germany, rendering it unprofitable domestically. Despite the identified problem, the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients continues to shift away from Europe. Schütze warns that even if the issues are not always apparent in daily life, Germany is currently experiencing supply difficulties for over 500 medications. This market concentration reduces the system's resilience in crisis scenarios.