Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and their fine chemicals precursors are the building blocks on which all critical medicines are based. Yet following a massive offshoring of APIs, Europe has halved its share over the last 25 years, in turn increasing its dependency on other regions. CEFIC said it supports the Critical Medicines Alliance with the aim of addressing vulnerabilities around critical medicines; by sharing challenges from the fine chemicals sector and determining the most suitable actions to rebuild resilience in European medicine supply chains.

As an export-oriented sector, the chemical industry is highly sensitive to shortages. Without a targeted industrial policy, Europe risks becoming dependent even on basic goods and chemicals, CEFIC said.

“The more dependent Europe is on other regions, the more vulnerable its people are on products as fundamental as medicines. Through our sector group, we represent around 350 API and fine chemical sites in Europe, and we can provide important insights on the key value chain players, capacities in Europe, technologies involved in the manufacturing process, among others. Our goal is to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and re-establish Europe as a major player in API manufacturing,” said Maggie Saykali, specialty chemicals director at CEFIC.

CEFIC’s subgroup EFCG has outlined recommendations to achieve a resilient medicine supply chain in Europe, including fostering supportive legislative policies for EU API manufacturers, emphasizing sustainable growth and reshoring initiatives, while investing in innovation and shifting procurement focus on supply security and social-environmental standards.