What's Next for Life Sciences Manufacturing in Europe
Day 3 Global Pharma Outlook Stage
08/10/2026 11:20 - 11:45am
Contributors
Adrien Samson : Secretary General - Life Science Manufacturers Association (LSMA)
John Clarke : President - Life Sciences Manufacturers Association (LSMA)
Europe has staked its industrial competitiveness on life sciences. From the Life Sciences Strategy to the Biotech Acts, the political ambition is clear. Yet life sciences manufacturers are navigating a regulatory environment centred on downstream actors and products.The resulting regulatory overlap creates the largest friction for manufacturers, friction that is increasingly difficult to manage and ignore.
Proposed PFAS restrictions under REACH threaten process inputs with no substitution pathway calibrated to the revalidation timelines of a regulated manufacturing environment. New border control rules are extending to time-critical materials with no operator guidance in sight. And the future of the REACH framework itself remains unresolved, leaving manufacturers unable to plan investments around regulatory conditions that may shift again.
Looking toward key policy milestones in late 2026 and 2027, this session will explore what needs to change to accelerate the development and uptake of manufacturing innovation in the EU and deliver on European industrial ambition for life sciences.