Eli Lilly CEO calls Britain "worst country in Europe" for drug prices

Published 24/09/2025, 13:12
© Reuters.

Investing.com -- Eli Lilly Chief Executive Dave Ricks criticized Britain as "probably the worst country in Europe" for drug prices in a Financial Times interview.

Ricks warned that Britain would miss out on new medications if it failed to increase prices and eliminate the VPAG rebate scheme, which requires drugmakers to contribute a portion of their UK drug revenue to the National Health Service.

The VPAG rebate scheme is an agreement between the government, NHS, and pharmaceutical industry designed to improve patient outcomes, manage NHS medicine costs, and support life sciences companies.

His comments come amid growing discontent from major pharmaceutical companies.

Merck and AstraZeneca have already paused or reduced investments in Britain due to what they consider a challenging business environment.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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