Dr Sarath Obeysekera

War economies don’t just enrich weapons manufacturers. A whole ecosystem benefits: logistics, reconstruction, energy, finance—and yes, pharmaceutical and 

1. Do drug companies profit from war?

Yes—but indirectly, not in the same obvious way as arms companies.

They benefit from:

• Treatment of wounded soldiers and civilians
• Increased demand for:
  • antibiotics
  • painkillers
  • trauma care drugs
  • vaccines (especially in conflict zones)
• Post-war:
  • rehabilitation drugs
  • mental health treatments (PTSD, depression)
  • disease outbreaks in unstable regions

However:

• Governments and NGOs often control pricing in war zones
• So profits are less direct and less dramatic than weapons sales

2. Biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world

Here are the global giants (2025–2026): 🇺🇸 United States (dominant player)

• Johnson & Johnson
• Pfizer
• Merck & Co.
• AbbVie
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Bristol Myers Squibb

👉 The US dominates due to:

• strong patents
• high drug prices
• massive R&D investment

🇨🇭 Switzerland (very powerful for its size)

• Roche
• Novartis

 Switzerland punches above its weight in biotech innovation.

🇬🇧 / 🇸🇪 United Kingdom & Europe

• AstraZeneca
• GSK

🇩🇪 Germany

• Bayer

🇫🇷 France

• Sanofi

🇩🇰 Denmark

• Novo Nordisk

🇯🇵 Japan

• Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

 These companies generate tens of billions annually, with leaders like Merck and Pfizer each making over $50–60 billion in drug sales 

3. Which countries dominate pharma?

Top countries by influence:

• 🇺🇸 United States – largest and most powerful
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland – innovation hub
• 🇬🇧 UK – major R&D and vaccines
• 🇩🇪 Germany – strong industrial pharma base
• 🇫🇷 France – large European player
• 🇯🇵 Japan – advanced research

4. Hidden giant: India 

Even though not top by revenue,”:

• India produces a huge share of the world’s generic drugs
• Supplies affordable medicines globally (including war zones

• Western companies = high-profit patented drugs
• India = mass production, low-cost supply

5. Who REALLY makes money from war (beyond pharma)

1. Energy companies

• Oil & gas prices surge in conflicts

2. Construction & engineering firms

• Post-war rebuilding (billions in contracts)

3. Logistics & shipping companies

• Military supply chains

4. Private security contractors

• Mercenaries, protection services

5. Finance & insurance

• War-risk insurance, reconstruction funding

6. Tech & surveillance companies

• Drones, AI, cyber warfare tools

Sri Lanka should get ready to be fit from the war

Fast track training of vocational training to train shilled workers to work in redevelopment 

Jou  with heavy construction engineering firms with construction  equipment to deploy I  was zoned

Export doctors and health care walkers to postwar zones 

Maintain food stocks in Sri Lanka for reexport 

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera