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Decline in Antibiotic Prices Amid Rising Costs and Shortages in Europe

On November 19, 2025, during the World Week for Antibiotic Awareness, an alarming report was presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) detailing a significant issue affecting global health: antibiotic resistance. According to the report, one in six bacterial infections is currently resistant to treatment, with projections suggesting that by 2050, antimicrobial resistance could lead to 10 million deaths annually, straining healthcare systems with costs nearing $1 trillion worldwide.

In collaboration with Medicines for Europe, Viatris Inc. released a pivotal independent study by New Angle Consulting that investigates the barriers to accessing essential off-patent medicines, particularly antibiotics. The study is evidently critical in highlighting the challenges faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare systems alike.

Key Findings

The study titled “Securing access, improving lives: Strengthening patients' access to off-patent medicines in Europe”, presents several concerning insights:
1. Price and cost trends: Between 2020 and 2024, prices for the ten most popular off-patent antibiotics saw an average decline of 10.4%, while production costs surged by 31.6%. Labor costs rose by 25.7%, and energy prices soared by 88% for gas and 62% for electricity.
2. Market disruptions: The report indicates that 240 antibiotics have been withdrawn from the market, and shortages were reported in 16 European countries, totaling 385 medications as of July 2025. Notably, although the price of amoxicillin fell by 18.9%, it remains one of the most critically short medications.
3. Call for Reforms: To mitigate these issues, the report emphasizes urgent reforms in national pricing and procurement systems. Suggestions include indexing prices to inflation, establishing minimum pricing policies, employing multi-tiered pricing models, and improving procurement strategies to prioritize reliability and environmental standards.

Implications for Public Health

The findings pose a grave risk to public health, as continual declines in antibiotic prices coupled with rising production costs threaten the availability of these essential medicines. Margarida Bajanca, the lead researcher from New Angle, stresses that without necessary reforms, patients across Europe may lose access to critical treatments, jeopardizing public health and accelerating antimicrobial resistance.

Arthur Cwiok, President of Viatris Europe, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that off-patent antibiotics are foundational to healthcare, particularly for routine infection treatments and surgical prophylaxis. He called for robust market policies that reflect the therapeutic value of these medicines to ensure their availability and reliability for all European patients.

A Broader Initiative

In line with the WHO’s acknowledgment of global antibiotic resistance awareness, the study sheds light on the pressing need for collective, concerted efforts to tackle this issue. Viatris’s commitment to multi-sector collaboration, such as the PLATINEA platform in Sweden and their ongoing alliance activities within the Industry Alliance Against AMR, demonstrates the company's proactive approach to advocating for increased access to both recognized and innovative antibiotics.

The report’s insights serve as a pivotal call to action for policymakers, health system leaders, and industry partners. Viatris and Medicines for Europe urge immediate cooperation to build sustainable systems that guarantee access to essential antibiotics, addressing both current challenges and preparing for future threats to public health.

For those interested, the full report is available on the Viatris and Medicines for Europe websites, providing extensive details on the findings and recommendations posed by this essential research. Addressing the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance requires immediate and significant action, as indicated by these critical insights from industry leaders and health advocates alike.