Małgorzata Adamkiewicz: One breakthrough drug can boost an entire country's economy

The relationship between Polish officials and entrepreneurs has become notably more collaborative and respectful over the decades. Małgorzata Adamkiewicz recalls that in the 1990s, establishing a Polish pharmaceutical company involved lengthy waits and a perceived lack of belief in local firms' ability to compete with global giants. Today, however, she notes a marked improvement, stating that in her industry, Polish companies are treated with at least the same consideration as international pharmaceutical corporations.

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Today, at least in my industry, we are treated in government offices at least as well as the world's pharmaceutical concerns. Back then, I don't think they really believed that a Polish company could effectively compete with these concerns. Now the authorities believe it?

This improved dialogue is yielding tangible results. Adamkiewicz highlights the Polish government's proactive stance in supporting businesses, citing a complaint filed with the European Union Court of Justice in March 2025 against an EU directive that unfairly impacted pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. This action demonstrates that entrepreneurs' arguments are being heard and addressed by the authorities.

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The dialogue between entrepreneurs and government administration is today much more concrete and yields results.

Poland's economic progress has been substantial, with Polish companies now accounting for 55% of the nation's GDP. Since 2004, Poland's GDP per capita has quadrupled, rising from $6,000 to $25,000, positioning the country as one of Europe's fastest-growing economies. Polish products are now sold worldwide.

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We want Poland and the Polish economy to do as well as before, and even better. To achieve this, however, the development model needs to change. It is worth moving from an economy based on low labor costs and low product prices to an economy based on innovation and new technologies.

However, Adamkiewicz emphasizes the need for a strategic shift to sustain and accelerate this growth. She advocates moving beyond a model based on low labor costs and prices towards an economy driven by innovation and new technologies. This transition requires a stable regulatory environment, enabling entrepreneurs to plan long-term, ideally five to ten years ahead, as innovation thrives on such predictability. Strengthening the transfer of knowledge from academia to business is also crucial, as currently, only 5% of Polish scientific publications involve business collaboration. Rewarding scientists for practical implementation, not just publications, and simplifying research commercialization are key steps.

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Innovations develop where such planning is realistic in a perspective of at least five to ten years.