This report analyzes the effects of patent and regulatory protection expiry on medicine availability, pricing, and competition across Europe. It shows that loss of exclusivity typically leads to rapid price erosion and increased access through generics and biosimilars, though the scale and speed vary widely by country. The report highlights differences in national policies, procurement practices, and incentives that influence competition outcomes. While protection expiry delivers significant savings to health systems, it may also reduce revenues needed to sustain innovation. The analysis calls for balanced policies that preserve affordability benefits while maintaining incentives for continued pharmaceutical development.

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