Europe must reclaim medicine production, focus on prevention

Europe must act urgently to bring pharmaceutical production back to the continent, says Czechia's former Health Minister, Adam Vojtěch.

In an interview with Euractiv, Vojtěch warns that Europe’s reliance on Chinese imports for essential medicines is no longer just an economic issue.

“We need to support production in the EU. We should have the pharmaceutical industry here. Europe must become more proactive,” said Vojtěch, who is widely seen as a leading contender to return as health minister after the Czech elections in October.

“Dependence on countries like China has become a security issue, particularly when it comes to essential medicines such as antibiotics. I see it as a serious risk,” he added.

Vojtěch served as a Czech health minister during the coronavirus crisis, from June 2018 to September 2020, and again from May to December 2021.

The EU is currently negotiating the 'Pharma Package', a major reform of pharmaceutical legislation to boost innovation and accessibility of medicines in Europe. Vojtěch said he welcomes the package initiative, but cautions that some policy moves may be undermining the goal of pharmaceutical sovereignty.

Risk of overregulation 

“It’s one thing to say we want a strong pharmaceutical industry in Europe – but then we pass measures that push it out,” he warned.

As an example, he criticised the EU’s wastewater directive that shifts the costs of wastewater treatment primarily onto pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies.

“Overregulation can backfire,” Vojtěch warned, pointing out a recent case in Denmark, where a factory producing a key antibiotic ingredient announced its closure.

Still, he remains optimistic that Europe can reverse the trend – if the political will is there.

“I believe there’s always a chance. We just have to get started, look at the issue holistically, and avoid taking contradictory steps. It’s all about the right incentives – at the end of the day, this is business.”

“Europe is a safe, stable region – it’s actually a great place to do business. But the environment needs to be structured in a way that makes it worthwhile for companies to stay.”

Prioritise prevention, healthy ageing

Back home, Vojtěch sees the biggest challenge in shifting Czech health policy toward long-term prevention and healthy ageing.

“It’s now absolutely clear – not just here, but across the Western world – that the biggest challenge is chronic illness,” he said, pointing to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer as key concerns.

He singled out the alarming rise in obesity rates as a major risk factor. “Two-thirds of the population is obese or overweight, which directly contributes to many of these diseases. These aren’t problems that can be solved overnight – but we have to deal with them,” he said.

Prevention planning

Without stronger prevention efforts, he warned, the long-term burden on healthcare systems and public finances will become unsustainable. “People who are ill often can’t work, don’t contribute economically, and become part of the social system. That has major impacts.”

Prevention, he argues, must be supported by a strong primary care system.

Like many EU countries, Czechia is facing demographic pressure as its population ages. Vojtěch stressed that this must be addressed with a focus on healthy ageing strategies. “We have to ensure that people age in good health. The longer we keep the population in good health, the better it is for the system.”

He also flagged the need for sustainable health financing and strategic investment in healthcare infrastructure. That includes giving insurers more power to plan care capacities in line with demographic trends. “With an ageing population, we’ll need a different kind of care,” he stressed.

“That’s where insurance funds need to have a long-term strategy – not just for a year or two, but for five to ten years,” Vojtěch said.

[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]