At the heart of the conflict are biosimilars, the copycat versions of biotechnological drugs. Statutory health insurers are demanding lower prices, while manufacturers point to high development costs. The outcome of the dispute directly affects the contribution rates of the insured and the profitability of pharmaceutical companies.
Thomas Weigold, head of pharmaceutical company Sandoz in Germany, recently hosted senior military doctors and pharmacists in Barleben, Saxony-Anhalt. The topic was the resilience of production in a crisis – for example, supplying wounded soldiers at NATO’s external border. Weigold showed the visitors the plant and connected to Kundl, Austria, where Sandoz produces antibiotics.
The debate over biosimilars is part of a larger discussion about Germany’s dependence on drug imports, especially from Asia. Politicians have announced plans to strengthen domestic production, but concrete measures are still pending. The dispute between insurers and industry could influence the implementation of these plans.
Source: www.sueddeutsche.de
