The drugs industry now employs about 30,000 people across the country, according to Pharma. be, or 50% more than in 1995. The sector contributes some €2 billion towards the total cost of private research and development, a share of 50%, and more than any other single industry. R&D employs 6,000 people, including 2,800 qualified researchers, while 350 jobs remain open for the lack of suitable candidates.

Perhaps surprisingly, Belgium can claim to be the world’s most prolific developer of new medicines, measured by the number of new products in development per million inhabitants, as follows:

Belgium 16.2

UK 14.2

Netherlands 11.7

US 10.5

France 7.6

Over the last decade, Pharma.be said, the difference between the contributions of the drugs industry and their sales to the healthcare sector has ranged from €10m to €140m a year in the government’s favour. In 2007, the sector paid €830 million in social security contributions alone, while in the past five years, it has paid €1.4 billion to the medical insurance agency Riziv. “Belgium is getting its medicines for free,” said Leo Neels, director-general of the organisation.