Roche puts future investment decisions in Germany on hold

Roche has temporarily paused decisions on future investments in Germany, its German operations chief Daniel Steiners said in a Welt interview reported on October 19.

Steiners said the company and its head office wanted clarity on how conditions in Germany would develop. He linked the pause to lost confidence in the government's healthcare policies.

He argued that the government was relying on short-term spending cuts and additional burdens on industry instead of structural changes to statutory health insurance.

In early July, the Bundestag and Bundesrat approved a healthcare cost-cutting package affecting medical practices, clinics, pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry and benefits for insured people.