Germany Tackles Bureaucracy to Secure Vital Drug Supply

On November 13, 2025, the German government announced a plan to make the country more attractive as a center for pharmaceutical and medical technology. This comes in response to ongoing shortages of some standard medicines.

The Head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, stated that these sectors are crucial for high-quality healthcare and contribute significantly to value creation and innovation. The aim is to develop measures by next year to improve the conditions for these industries.

Health Minister Nina Warken emphasized the goal of strengthening the innovative power of "Made in Germany" products and further expanding the security of supply. The focus will be on reducing bureaucracy and speeding up processes. However, Warken added that cost increases for the healthcare system must also be contained, and the pharmaceutical sector will need to contribute to this.

The meeting at the Chancellor's Office marked the start of an interdepartmental dialogue process, led by the Health Ministry, to develop a comprehensive pharmaceutical and medical technology strategy.

The pharmaceutical industry in Germany is one of the few growing sectors, but shortages of certain drugs, such as antipyretics, painkillers, diabetes medications, and antibiotics, continue to be a concern. The industry also faces challenges, including heavy dependence on China and India for many products, as well as cost pressures that have led to the withdrawal of some manufacturers from producing essential medicines like penicillin.