KEY POINTS
- Pharma Deutschland said new U.S. pricing rules may push firms to seek higher German launch prices.
- The group warned companies might delay German and European launches to avoid low-price references.
- Managing director Dorothee Brakmann urged German leaders to prepare for market impacts.
A leading German pharmaceutical industry group warned that U.S. drug pricing changes may ripple into Germany’s market. The association said the new U.S. framework may influence how companies set prices and plan launches in Europe.
Pharma Deutschland issued the warning in a statement on Wednesday. The lobby represents about 400 member companies, according to its statement. It described the U.S. policy shift as a new challenge for Germany’s medicine market.
The group said the U.S. regulation may create pressure on companies operating in both countries. It said these firms may need to reassess pricing models and launch plans. The group linked those decisions to the risk of higher demanded prices in Germany.
Pharma Deutschland said companies may react in two main ways. They may seek higher prices for new medicines in Germany. Or they may avoid launching a medicine in Germany if pricing does not meet expectations.
The association framed the issue as a launch timing and access concern. It said Germany may fall behind on new treatments. It also said Germany may miss some medicine introductions altogether under certain company strategies.
Dorothee Brakmann, the group’s managing director, described one driver behind these potential shifts. She said companies may try to prevent low price references. She said firms may do this to protect pricing in the United States.
Brakmann said companies might delay launches in Germany or across Europe. She said some firms might avoid launching certain innovative medicines in these markets. She tied that approach to reducing exposure to lower-price benchmarks.
The group also directed its message to policymakers and health system leaders in Germany. Brakmann said the government and the health system must respond to this emerging challenge. The association signaled that domestic planning should account for shifting global pricing behavior.
The statement highlighted a broader concern about cross-market price linkages. Pharma Deutschland suggested that changes in one major market can reshape launch decisions elsewhere. It warned that Germany’s access to new medicines could depend on how firms adapt to the U.S. rules.
