FDI in Poland's Healthcare & Life Sciences Sector, 2026

Poland's healthcare and life sciences sector combines a large domestic health system with an established role in clinical research, pharmaceutical and medical-device operations, and health-related services. For a foreign investor the key questions are demand, regulatory access, talent and the operating model.

Health system demand

Statistics Poland's preliminary estimate puts current health expenditure, public and private combined, at 8.9% of GDP in 2025. Public current expenditure accounted for 6.9% of GDP. Both figures are preliminary and follow the System of Health Accounts methodology. They describe the size of the system, not the addressable market for a specific product, which depends on reimbursement status, procurement rules and the care setting.

Clinical research

The Polish regulator for medicinal products (URPL) received 654 applications for authorisation to start clinical trials in 2025. Applications are not the same as approved or active trials, but they indicate continuing sponsor interest in Poland as a trial location inside the EU regulatory framework.

Talent and research capacity

ABSL records 282 R&D business services centres employing 56,600 people in early 2026. These figures cover all R&D centres in the business services sector, not only life sciences. Statistics Poland reports 306.6 thousand higher-education graduates in the academic year that ended in 2025, which indicates the scale of the graduate pipeline across disciplines.

Investment support and tax

Projects in the Polish Investment Zone may receive a decision on support for 12 years to 15 years, subject to eligibility and regional aid rules. Qualifying income from intellectual property developed in Poland may be taxed under the IP Box regime at 5%, against a standard corporate income tax rate of 19%. Both are headline rates; the effective burden depends on the project.

Practical considerations

Medicinal products and medical devices fall under EU frameworks, so a Polish operation can serve multiple European markets under one regulatory model. Investors should still plan for national reimbursement and pricing procedures, data-protection requirements for health data, and quality-system inspections before production or trial activity begins. Health data processing and AI-enabled services require early legal review.

Reading the evidence

The verified data points to a sizeable health system and an active research environment. It does not, on its own, establish demand for a specific therapy, device or service. A location and partner screen should precede any capital commitment.

How Poland FDI can help

Poland FDI helps foreign companies test these indicators against a specific project, location shortlist and timeline. Assess your Poland readiness or contact our team.