Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has paused all future investment decisions in Germany, citing severe friction with the country's recent healthcare cost-cutting policies. The decision was announced on Monday by Daniel Steiners, head of Roche Germany, during an interview with the newspaper Welt.
Steiners stated that policymakers have significantly eroded trust within the pharmaceutical sector. He criticized the government for pursuing short-term savings and imposing extra burdens on the industry instead of addressing the structural deficits within the statutory health insurance system.
According to Steiners, proposed legislation aimed at curbing fast-growing health insurance costs falls short. He noted that a potential "location clause"—designed to exempt drugmakers with domestic production from certain manufacturer discounts—would only partially mitigate the legislative impact. What the sector truly requires, he added, is a comprehensive long-term strategy.
Despite the freeze on future projects, a Roche spokesperson clarified to Reuters that already planned developments, such as the €600 million-plus expansion of the company's site in Penzberg, Bavaria, remain unaffected by the current reviews.
Roche's move follows a similar decision earlier this year by Eli Lilly, which announced in June that it would halve its planned €2.3 billion investments in Germany following proposed cost-capping legislation.