Multinationals in Norway: Patients, Innovation & Profit

Is the Norwegian healthcare sector competitive? According to recent data, Norway ranks amongst the best in the world in healthcare access and quality, but how can we ensure that patients, innovation, and profits are given their due consideration?

It's been five years since the Norwegian government released its Health Industry white paper (Meld. St. 18, 2018–2019) on working together for value creation and better services. The paper identified several areas of improvement for the Government’s health industry policy, including the desire to make the public health and care sector an attractive partner for business and increase collaboration between the public and private sectors. While progress has been made, there is still room for improvement.

One key factor in achieving success in healthcare is attracting multinational healthcare investment. AmCham's report, "Multinational Healthcare Investment in Norway: Fulfilling Potential," highlights key gaps and possible ways forward. Some barriers that are particularly important to address include the lack of a common, balanced forum between industry leaders, politicians, and civil servants. The report also notes that increased foreign investment can foster a healthcare system that utilizes and values innovative treatments. Nonetheless, there are significant barriers to innovation in healthcare including a low willingness to allocate the needed funding.

With any investment comes questions of priorities. Are patients truly at the center of healthcare decisions, or is profit the driving force? Are we prioritizing innovation that benefits patients, or merely implementing the latest expensive technology?