EU pharmaceutical policy and strategic autonomy discussions

Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has engaged with the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT) to advocate for a unified and strategic European pharmaceutical policy.

Georgiadis emphasized that the European Union must negotiate as a single entity to remain competitive against global powers like the United States, China, and India. He warned that individual member states may face disadvantages if they pursue pharmaceutical policies in isolation.

A central theme of the discussions was the pursuit of strategic autonomy through enhanced domestic production and the diversification of supply chains, as much of the current production of medicines and active substances occurs outside the EU. Greece expressed support for revising European pharmaceutical legislation, specifically the Critical Medicines Act and the Biotechnology Act, to foster innovation and investment while ensuring the safety, quality, and affordability of medications.

Building on these efforts, Georgiadis participated in the Informal Council of EU Health Ministers in Dublin alongside EU Commissioner for Health Oliver Várhelyi. During the council, he reiterated the need to strengthen Europe’s productive base and diversify supply chains to reduce strategic dependencies on critical medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Georgiadis also highlighted Greek priorities regarding rapid and equitable patient access to new therapies, calling for predictable regulatory frameworks and Health Technology Assessments (HTA). The council discussions further focused on utilizing innovation, digitalization, and health data to support preventive care, integrated care models, and overall health system resilience through EU cooperation.