cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44047903
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Efforts to diversify domestic manufacturing and supply are ongoing, focusing on supporting Polish pharmaceutical companies and building facilities closer to European markets. However, production decisions regarding active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or finished products remain commercial, independently made by responsible entities based on business strategies.
A key ministry goal is to reduce Poland’s reliance on external markets, especially on Asian suppliers responsible for most raw materials and APIs. “Uncoupling from Asia is crucial to enhancing Poland’s supply chain stability,” the ministry noted, highlighting its cooperation with the Government Strategic Reserves Agency (RARS), which plays a vital role in crisis management. RARS maintains expert capacity and logistics, proven during COVID-19 vaccine deployment and aid to Ukraine.
Another key area in Poland’s pharmaceutical security strategy is the National List of Critical Medicines. First presented in December 2024, this list has since been updated to include 401 substances deemed crucial for patient safety and the resilience of the healthcare system.
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“True security lies in producing medicines in the EU and Poland,” [president of Medicines for Poland Krzysztof] Kopeć stressed. While acknowledging the ministry’s National List of Critical Medicines, he emphasised that lists alone don’t guarantee security. Reducing dependence on Asia requires cost acceptance by the EU and national governments. European producers need profitable prices to manufacture medicines sustainably.
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[Michał Byliniak, director general of INFARMA, the Employers’ Union of Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies] emphasised the need to ensure patients’ needs are met during armed conflict, with timely access to medicine, even before emergency procedures are activated. “We faced such challenges after the Ukraine war began, guaranteeing treatment continuity for patients who suddenly lost access,” he recalled.
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