Investment decisions by pharmaceutical companies and their influence on health policies in the Member States

Question for written answer E-002237/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Christine Anderson (ESN)

According to recent media reports[1], the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co. has allegedly made its investment of EUR 2.3 billion in Germany contingent upon a change in national legislation on the confidentiality of medicinal product prices. This practice could hamper competition in the internal market and lead to unequal market access conditions for pharmaceutical product manufacturers.

• 1.To what extent is the Commission aware of similar cases in which pharmaceutical companies have linked their investment decisions to regulatory concessions in individual Member States, and what is its assessment of this in terms of a level playing field in the internal market?
• 2.To what extent does the Commission see a risk of market distortion to the detriment of smaller pharmaceutical companies and certain Member States in the event that national rules on the confidentiality of pharmaceutical prices were to be introduced?
• 3.Does the Commission intend, within the limits of its existing competences, to take measures to safeguard transparency of pharmaceutical prices in the internal market and to ensure a level playing field?

Submitted: 23.10.2024

• [1] https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/gesundheitssystem-medikamente-pharmaunternehmen-104.html