Pharmaceuticals Sandoz fights against Chinese dumping of antibiotics
Sandoz is calling for fair competition for antibiotic active ingredients. The company has filed a complaint with the EU. (symbolic image)
Image: Keystone
According to Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor, dumping prices from China are jeopardizing Europe's supply security for antibiotics. (archive image)
Image: Keystone
Sandoz is calling for fair competition for antibiotic active ingredients. The company has filed a complaint with the EU. (symbolic image)
Image: Keystone
According to Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor, dumping prices from China are jeopardizing Europe's supply security for antibiotics. (archive image)
Image: Keystone
Sandoz is taking action against Chinese antibiotics imports at the EU. The company accuses Chinese manufacturers of dumping prices and massive state subsidies.
28.05.2026, 08:07
SDA
The generics manufacturer has submitted a groundbreaking draft anti-dumping complaint to the European Commission against Chinese imports of the antibiotic active ingredient amoxicillin. The company made the announcement on Thursday on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its most important European antibiotics production site in Kundl, Austria.
The company accuses Chinese manufacturers of distorting the market by permanently charging extremely low prices. According to Sandoz, the active ingredients are sometimes sold below production costs and are also massively supported by state subsidies. This creates competitive conditions that European manufacturers can hardly keep up with.
Too much dependence
In the communiqué, Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor warns that Europe is becoming dependent on foreign supply chains and could therefore no longer be able to reliably supply its own population with antibiotics in the event of a crisis. In his view, securing the supply of antibiotics is therefore not only a question of health policy, but also of economic security and Europe's strategic trade policy
"Even today, up to 90 percent of the world's active antibiotic ingredients are produced outside of Europe, primarily in China," the CEO continues. Saynor also criticizes the fact that antibiotics are now treated like cheap goods, even though they are among the most important medicines in modern medicine. "A pack of antibiotics often costs less than a pack of chewing gum."
