AI, Pharmaceutical Sector, and EU Competition Law and Policy: What Does the Future Look Like?

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of treatments and significantly reduce drug discovery and development timelines in the pharmaceutical industry. However, existing legal frameworks, including competition law, must be equipped to manage AI-driven innovations effectively. This research underlines the critical and immediate need for the EU to develop regulatory frameworks to adapt to the evolving AI landscape in pharmaceuticals. The study advocates for a proactive and, most importantly, patient-centric regulatory approach and will explore the impact of the two upcoming regulations (AI Act and; Pharmaceutical Regulation Reform) on the future of competition law and policy in the pharmaceutical sector. A potential "Pharmaceutical Markets Act" analogous to the "Digital Markets Act " is proposed to increase competition, transparency, and patient access in this complex sector.