Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate

The conference brought together military and civilian healthcare experts to discuss the development of a coherent healthcare model for soldiers. Łukasz Pietrzak emphasised that the availability of medicines in Poland and across Europe is currently highly dependent on Asian markets, while also outlining directions for strengthening national medicines security.

“We need to follow a long-term strategy similar to that pursued by China – first capitalising on domestic demand,” he noted. “In terms of the value of the medicines market, we are the fifth largest in Europe, but in terms of production, we rank only 12th. This disparity is significant, and by leveraging our internal purchasing power, we can substantially improve medicines security.”

He explained that this could be achieved, among other measures, by strengthening the position of domestically manufactured medicines on reimbursement lists and by creating incentives for both prescribers and patients to choose such products.

“Another important step would be the transition to ZSMOPL 2.0, which would allow for a more accurate assessment of demand for medicines. With the use of artificial intelligence, shortages could be predicted based on trends more quickly and effectively – enabling forward planning rather than reactive measures,” he added.

He also stressed that, from the perspective of safeguarding the health of the armed forces, close cooperation with pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices and equipment is essential to ensure adequate reserves for the military.

During the conference, the document “White Paper 2026: Soldiers’ Health – A Challenge for a Secure Future” was presented. It includes a chapter prepared by the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector.

“The pharmaceutical sector is a strategic sector and should be treated – particularly from a national security perspective – in a manner comparable to the defence sector. The development of a list of critical medicines was an important step. However, ensuring medicines security is a multi-layered challenge, both in civilian and military contexts.

At the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate, we have developed a number of procedures and implemented changes to prepare the country for potential threats, including armed conflict. Ensuring medicines security in extreme situations requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account all elements related to medicines and their distribution. Alongside domestic production, medical personnel and pharmaceutical care must also be recognised as strategic components,” said Łukasz Pietrzak.