Berlin – November 05, 2026 -- Germany's pharmaceutical lobby BPI says the country's healthcare system is neither crisis-proof nor crisis-resilient, as external shocks collide with structural weaknesses in both the industry base and patient supply. BPI Managing Director Dr. Kai Joachimsen made the assessment at the FORUM-Institut's annual health policy conference, "Pharma Trends 2027".
Joachimsen lists five pressure points behind the "polycrisis"
He cited trade conflicts, a dependence on Asia that is still tending to grow despite repeated warnings, fragile supply chains, cyberattacks, and scarce, expensive energy and raw materials.
Joachimsen argued that policy has not matched the threat level. In his view, health policy is location policy and must now also function as security policy.
BPI says Brussels and Berlin pursue contradictory policy
Debate on the Critical Medicines Act (CMA), meant to strengthen production in Europe, has dragged on too long without tangible change, according to Joachimsen. He added that other EU initiatives, such as the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (KARL in German), undercut the CMA's intentions.
At federal level, he said the pharmaceutical industry is still treated as a cost factor. He pointed to ever-higher mandatory rebates and a growing number of rebate contracts, despite the Pharma Dialogue, official praise for the sector as a leading industry, and its role in critical infrastructure.
Health security law must cover medicines, not only hospitals
Joachimsen welcomed in principle the Federal Health Ministry's plan to design routine care for crisis readiness under the long-awaited Health Security Act (Gesundheitssicherstellungsgesetz). He warned against narrowing the focus to hospitals, saying routine medicine supply is also not working as it should.