In Austria, several hundred medicines were unavailable or only available to a limited extent over the past two winters. Are we threatened with a new bottleneck? Pharmig Vice President Bernhard Wittmann explains how things got to this point in Austria.
The industry is working feverishly to ensure that no bottlenecks arise this year, Wittmann says in the live talk of krone.tv. But in recent years, unexpected connections have emerged in the background around the world that are difficult to predict. He therefore cannot make predictions. Nevertheless, Wittmann is confident that we will no longer see such an extreme bottleneck as we have seen in the past two years.
High costs that no one wants to pay
But what are the backgrounds? Production takes place in Austria, but as in other industries, great pressure on prices is palpable here. “In fact, the chemical industry as a whole – and the pharmaceutical industry is part of it – has emigrated to countries like India or China.” Cost pressure in Europe is greater due to environmental measures and social standards. “We want these standards, but in the end no one is willing to pay for them. This is a field of tension.”
From the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry, medicines must become cheaper. „It is of course good for the social insurance and certainly also for the patients if things are offered cheaply or at a lower price. But we also know this from other areas of life: when things get too cheap at some point, suppliers leave the market. Then perhaps only those suppliers will come into the picture who can actually produce in low-wage countries.” This is a situation that we as a society do not want, says Wittmann.
Wittmann, himself director of a pharmaceutical SME company in Vienna and Burgenland, also gives positive examples in the lecture. Made in Austria works very well in some areas.
You can see the entire conversation on this topic in the video above!
We explain what Austria is currently dealing with: the latest news conversations with politicians and experts.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
