Spain's Health Secretary Javier Padilla Bernáldez urged European nations to unite against U.S. drug pricing pressures, warning that individual bilateral agreements risk fragmenting the market and weakening the EU's negotiating power. He emphasized that a unified approach is crucial to protect European solidarity and competitiveness in the pharmaceutical sector.
European countries risk undermining their collective negotiating power and potentially paying higher prices for medicines if they pursue individual drug pricing deals with the U.S., impacting patient access and the region's pharmaceutical competitiveness.
Spain's Health Secretary Javier Padilla Bernáldez has urged European nations to present a united front when negotiating drug prices with the United States, warning that individual, bilateral agreements risk fragmenting the market and weakening the bloc's collective bargaining power. Speaking at the European Health Forum in Gastein, Austria, Padilla Bernáldez stated that the EU's strength lies in its unified market, and pursuing individual deals would undermine this advantage.
Padilla Bernáldez's comments come as Europe grapples with the U.S. administration's most-favored-nation (MFN) drug pricing policy, which could delay new medicine launches in Europe due to fears of lower matched prices in the lucrative U.S. market. Previously, 11 EU countries, led by Sweden, had agreed to work together on drug pricing and reimbursement. The Beneluxa group also advocated for solidarity in protecting European health systems.
Despite these calls for unity, some countries are reportedly exploring individual deals. Germany has been in discussions with U.S. officials regarding medicine prices, and France recently announced a new agreement with its pharmaceutical sector aimed at providing clarity and predictability. Padilla Bernáldez cautioned that countries pursuing individual agreements might be misguided in their belief that they will be treated favorably by the U.S. government.
Yannis Natsis, representing payers, echoed concerns that going it alone is not a viable solution, questioning the benefits for French patients and taxpayers from higher prices and the commitments from pharmaceutical companies. Renew MEP Stine Bosse, while seeing merit in France's approach, warned that multiple sets of rules or bilateral deals could make the EU less predictable for investors and harm its competitiveness. Nathalie Moll, head of the pharmaceutical lobby EFPIA, also emphasized the need for Europe to act as a region to attract investment rather than fragmenting further.
Ministers had previously requested an impact assessment of U.S. policies from the European Commission, which was delivered in August but found it too early to determine the full impact on Europe. The matter now rests with the Council.
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