Industry voice warns Europe is losing its lead in biomedical innovation
A sponsored opinion piece in Politico Europe says the EU led global drug launches in the 1990s but lost that position first to the US and, by 2024, to China as well. It calls for urgent EU action on regulation and incentives to restore competitiveness.
Europe's share of global pharmaceutical research and development investment has fallen sharply over the past two decades, according to a sponsored opinion piece published in Politico Europe. The share of clinical trials conducted on the continent has also declined. While Europe led the launch of new medicines in the 1990s, that position was lost to the United States the following decade and, by 2024, to China as well.
Risks for future medicine
The author warns that the trend is especially concerning in fields set to define the future of medicine — advanced therapies, personalized treatment, and solutions for genetic diseases and certain cancers, which are increasingly being developed outside Europe. Every clinical trial and patent that moves elsewhere represents a real loss of knowledge, skilled jobs and opportunity for Europeans.
The piece argues the pandemic exposed the dangers of relying on external supply chains for essential medical products, which is why the pharmaceutical industry is now considered strategically important for Europe's competitiveness, security and autonomy.
US pull and Spain's paradox
Part of Europe's declining appeal is attributed to the United States' larger market share and stronger innovation incentives, along with new measures aimed at boosting domestic production and attracting further investment there. The author stresses that developing a medicine takes 10 to 15 years, meaning companies need predictable regulation and legal certainty.
Spain is cited as an example of this paradox: it is Europe's fourth-largest pharmaceutical market and a leader in clinical trials, yet patients there still face long waits for access to approved treatments.
Calls for action
The piece urges policymakers to act urgently — protecting and rewarding innovation, removing barriers to faster access to treatment, and strengthening Europe's industrial and research base. It highlights the forthcoming European Biotech Act, along with the potential of artificial intelligence and the European Health Data Area, as tools that could accelerate research if paired with modern, trust-building regulation.
