Europe must band together to tackle drug pricing pressures rather than being picked off one by one, Spain’s Health Secretary Javier Padilla Bernáldez tells Morning Health Care. — Parliament’s environment committee will vote on its opinion for the Biotech Act. Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Health Care! Kudos to all those who made it to the 6am hike ahead of another jam-packed day at the European Health Forum in Gastein.
I won’t throw Claudia under the bus, but I, for one, proudly took the lie-in. For those who opted for the walk, at least their stride shouldn’t have been impacted by this news that air pollution can impact marathon times — thanks to the clear air of the Austrian Alps. Get in touch: [email protected], [email protected].
Follow us on X: @chiappa_claudia, @domgiannini_ LET’S COME TOGETHER: Spain’s Health Secretary Javier Padilla Bernáldez has called for Europe to band together in the face of U.S. drug pricing pressures rather than seeking bilateral agreements. As pressure mounts on Germany to strike a deal with the Trump administration, Padilla Bernáldez argues any such deal risks weakening the European market. Right now: “When [most favored nation] emerged, there was a consensus that the main strength of the European Union was being more people with a higher degree of universal health coverage, and the weakness was having a fragmented market,” Padilla Bernáldez told Morning Health Care at the European Health Forum in Gastein, Austria.
Companies fear launching in Europe will risk a lower matched price in the U.S., limiting profits in that lucrative market. Is the breakfast club no more? Countries initially seemed to be on the same page about the best way to respond to the pressure — as a team.
Back in June, 11 countries, led by Sweden, first met to debate how to protect EU prices and agreed they were stronger when working together rather than pursuing individual deals. The Beneluxa group — a health care alliance uniting Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria and Ireland — also urged Europe to protect its solidarity-based health systems and warned against “uncoordinated, individual national responses.” Sweden continues to lead discussions on drug pricing and reimbursement amid geopolitical pressure, within an EU alliance of authorities that carry out this work known as NCAPR. (The next meeting is Oct. 9.) But some may be breaking ranks. Art of the deal: U.S. diplomats and pharma companies are eyeing deals with EU countries similar to the one Washington struck with the U.K., which will see the National Health Service pay more for medicines.
Germany has been in talks with U.S. officials over the price of its medicines, following the Section 301 investigation. It has not announced an agreement but is considering rewarding drugmakers with higher prices if they invest locally. France this week announced a new deal with the pharmaceutical sector on drug pricing, to provide “more clarity and predictability to pharmaceutical companies.” “France is making a clear choice to invest in the future,” the government said Tuesday.
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