The president of Farmaindustria notes that competition among the United States, China, and Europe is shaping where research and manufacturing take place, as well as when new treatments reach patients.

She asserts that a predictable, competitive regulatory framework and adherence to access timelines are essential for Spain to consolidate its European leadership in clinical trials and strengthen its manufacturing capacity.

Fina Lladós, during her remarks. / farmaindustria.es

Fina Lladós, President of Farmaindustria, called on Friday—during her address at the La Toja Forum—for Europe and Spain to send clear signals of their commitment to the biopharmaceutical industry in upcoming regulatory developments, given a geopolitical context in which pharmaceutical companies are reassessing their investment and production strategies. “Deciding today where we conduct research, manufacture, and value innovation shapes the treatments our patients will have tomorrow,” she noted.

During the roundtable discussion “The Spanish Economy and Its Future Challenges”—moderated by Marta Blanco, Chair of the CEOE International Relations Commission, and featuring David Bláquez, Head of Public Policy for Amazon in Spain and Portugal, and Alberto Mateos, Head of AI and Financial Services at Oliver Wyman for Spain and Portugal—Lladós emphasized that geopolitics is now inseparable from the future of medicines, as innovation, manufacturing, and supply chains have become strategic assets for nations. “A country’s competitiveness hinges on sectors that combine science, industry, and quality employment, and the biopharmaceutical sector is one of them. Europe and Spain have an opportunity in this new landscape, but it will not last forever,” she stated.

The president of Farmaindustria noted that Europe is entering this new phase after years of losing ground in the race for biopharmaceutical innovation. The US market accounts for 55% of the global pharmaceutical market, whereas Europe—despite having a larger population—does not reach 23%. Furthermore, the continent has seen a 25% drop in R&D investment over the past twenty years, and only 15.6% of the innovations reaching the global market between 2020 and 2024 originated in Europe, compared to 74% from the US.

“Therefore, US decisions regarding pharmaceutical policy are not just a domestic matter. They shape where research and manufacturing take place and determine when treatments reach European patients,” she said. In this context, she pointed to the US “Most-Favored-Nation” (MFN) measure—announced in May 2025—which aims to ensure the US healthcare system does not pay more for certain medicines than other comparable developed nations. “This price pressure is compounded by tariffs and incentives encouraging companies to produce and invest in the US. The fact that medicines are now becoming part of trade disputes confirms just how much they have become a strategic asset,” Lladós stated.

Faced with this scenario, Lladós urged that Europe’s response should not be defensive or limited to erecting new trade barriers; instead, it should focus on regaining competitiveness by properly valuing innovation, strengthening intellectual property rights, simplifying regulations, accelerating access to medicines, and offering attractive conditions for research and manufacturing. “Europe stands at a crossroads. Although the pharmaceutical industry has been designated as one of the EU’s four priority industrial sectors for strategic autonomy, the signals being sent do not always reflect that importance,” she emphasized.

Spain Faces a Major Opportunity

The president of Farmaindustria highlighted that Spain starts from a position of strength: it is a European leader in clinical trials for new medicines, boasts over 180 production facilities, and possesses a highly efficient healthcare system. “The report La Gran Oportunidad [The Great Opportunity], prepared by Farmaindustria in collaboration with Afi, further concludes that the country possesses the right conditions to become a global hub for pharmaceutical innovation and production,” she noted.

To consolidate this position, Lladós called for stability and a national vision—taking concrete steps within the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy; establishing a predictable and competitive regulatory framework (regarding both the new Spanish Medicines Act and the future European Biotechnology Act); and substantially improving the time it takes for innovations to reach patients.

“As long as medicines are viewed merely as an expense, we will compete at a disadvantage. They represent an investment in health, skilled employment, exports, and strategic capacity: every euro invested in new medicines generates a four-euro economic return for Spain,” she emphasized.

The Farmaindustria president concluded by calling for a renewal of Spain’s leadership through stable decision-making and an ambitious alliance involving public authorities, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and the industry. “In a world in disarray, our best response is to build trust and our own capacity. If Europe regains its ambition and Spain seizes this opportunity, we can turn uncertainty into more research, more investment, and—above all—better health.”

Photo from the inauguration of the La Toja Forum, featuring King Felipe alongside the event’s key speakers.

Farmaindustria.es