<body><p>STORY: Big pharma is receiving pushback from European capitals on drug pricing. </p><p>So they’re turning to a playbook that brought them success in the UK.</p><p>Making threats to pull investment plans to pressure policymakers. </p><p>The industry notched a win when the British government agreed to increase medicine spending as part of a broader deal to avoid U.S.-imposed tariffs. </p><p>The latest nation to face pressure is Germany, which has been debating legislation to tighten spending on medicines. </p><p>A Reuters European Pharma correspondent Maggie Fick said pressure in the last week has ramped up. </p><p>"The CEO of Pfizer wrote a letter to the German chancellor warning that their future investments in the country may be at risk over these proposed changes to pricing laws."</p><p>Meanwhile, AstraZeneca warned that it may not launch new medicines in Germany if these changes go ahead.</p><p>Earlier in June, Eli Lilly announced it would halve a planned $2.7 billion investment, also citing the proposed legislation. </p><p>This bid to cap costs has centered Germany in a broader tussle between drugmakers and European governments that began several months ago.</p><p>That tension has been sharpened by the impact on Europe of U.S. President Donald Trump's pricing push.</p><p>This aims to tie prescription medicine prices in the lucrative U.S. market to lower prices elsewhere, including in Europe.</p><p>Major drugmakers have struck deals with the White House to lower drug costs in exchange for tariff exemptions, adding to pressure for increasing prices elsewhere.</p></body>
