Recommendations for strengthening resilience, innovation and production
North Rhine-Westphalia aims to actively shape the future of its pharmaceutical industry. In a joint strategy paper, the state government, companies, and research institutions have presented concrete recommendations for making the pharmaceutical sector more resilient, innovative, and competitive. The focus is on securing production, employment, and innovative capacity, as well as further developing North Rhine-Westphalia into a leading location for innovative pharmaceutical companies and startups.
The background to this is current challenges such as high energy costs, supply bottlenecks, a shortage of skilled workers, and geopolitical dependencies in pharmaceutical production. The strategy paper addresses precisely these issues: It aims to secure and expand production capacities within the country, reduce critical dependencies, and accelerate the path from research to application.
North Rhine-Westphalia is particularly strong where research, industry, and the healthcare sector converge. The state boasts a dense research landscape, established industrial structures, and exceptional expertise in biotechnology and personalized medicine. These strengths will be strategically leveraged to further expand local research activities, improve conditions for clinical trials and translational research, and better utilize existing potential in research and academic medicine.
Another key focus is on securing skilled workers and reducing bureaucratic hurdles. The aim is to improve the framework for companies without compromising quality and safety. The paper thus combines health policy, economic, and scientific perspectives into a common approach for the future of the industry.
This position paper was developed as part of the NRW Pharmaceutical Dialogue, which was launched at the end of 2024. The participating stakeholders intend to continue their collaboration, actively support the implementation of the recommendations, and regularly evaluate progress. This aims to further strengthen North Rhine-Westphalia's role as a strong and resilient pharmaceutical hub.
Source: wirtschaft.nrw
