A new policy paper warns Poland remains heavily reliant on Asian pharmaceutical supply chains despite growing concerns over European drug security and strategic resilience
Poland must prioritise health security over short-term economic calculations by strengthening domestic pharmaceutical production and reforming pharmaceutical care, according to new recommendations from the Polish Pharmaceutical Society (PTFarm).
The policy brief, led by Professor Agnieszka Zimmermann, calls for strategic investment to reduce dependence on Asian suppliers of critical medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Currently, China produces more than 40% of the world’s APIs, while Poland manufactures only six substances from its own national list of critical medicines.
The report identifies 401 substances on Poland’s National List of Critical Medicines, but domestic production capacity remains limited. To address this, PTFarm proposes creating a “Short List” of 10 strategic substances that could secure up to 60% of national demand through domestic production and strategic reserves.
Krzysztof Kopeć, president of the Polish Association of Pharmaceutical Industry Employers – National Drug Producers (NPP), told Euractiv that achieving this vision would require a fundamental shift in state policy. He argued that Poland’s position as a “frontline state” near active conflict zones creates security vulnerabilities that cannot be addressed through market mechanisms alone.
