Major investments needed to maintain clinical research, says VIG

Europe is in danger of falling behind in the development of innovative medicines, according to Dutch pharma trade group VIG chairman Mark Kramer in a BNR Nieuwsradio segment, who noted that, "due to shifting global boundaries, Europe is losing importance. You need a complete ecosystem for innovation to flourish."

The interview with Mr Kramer followed a report in the Financial Times. The article described US President Donald Trump as pushing for lower drug prices in the USA and increased production on US soil. Meanwhile, several pharmaceutical companies have shifted investments from Europe to the USA and China. Nathalie Moll, director of the umbrella organization the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), explains that this is partly due to large drug price discounts and high R&D costs in Europe.

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