Episode 38: Pieter van Baal on Pharmaceutical Innovation and Drug Pricing

This episode’s guest is Pieter van Baal, Professor of Public Health Economics at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management and head of the Health Economics department. The conversation explores pharmaceutical pricing, patents, and innovation incentives, discussing why healthcare systems negotiate medicine prices and whether the current model for developing innovative medicines is functioning effectively. Pieter reflects on the role of governments, pharmaceutical companies, and public funding in medical innovation, while also considering alternative systems that could make medicines more accessible and affordable. The episode additionally touches on academic leadership, research culture, and advice for PhD students navigating academia.  

Guest: Pieter van Baal, Professor of Public Health Economics, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management Host: Fanny Tallgren, Andrea De Palma

Timestamps:

(00:45) Pieter’s background and journey into health economics (09:30) The Dutch advisory committee and pharmaceutical price negotiations (19:50) Is the current pharmaceutical innovation system working? (30:30) Alternative models for patents, innovation, and public funding (44:30) Innovation in China, the US, and Europe (46:45) Leadership, department culture, and advice for PhD students