New Market Report Now Available: Portugal Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare Report Q1 2011

Dec. 31, 2010 - PRLog -- Portugal's pharmaceutical market was worth EUR3.58bn (US$5.01bn) in 2009, and drug market expenditure is likely to remain at a similar level in 2010. Portugal's pharmaceutical market has experienced a considerable slowdown in growth in recent years. This is the result of a number of factors: the market is a mature one, it has a low birth rate and stable population, and more recently, the global recession has placed considerable pressure on Portugal's economy. Portugal's 2011 budget, approved in Q410, is marked by austerity meaures, and healthcare expenditure has not escaped cuts.

Drug prices have come under scrunity over recent months as politicians struggle to generate savings in a healthcare system that many feel the population has in some ways, taken for granted. In addition to drug price cuts effected in July and August 2010, VAT rises in July 2010 and downward pressure on generic medicine prices, mid-October saw a new range of cuts for branded pharmaceuticals. Patented drugs that are reimbursed by the state are now subject to a 6% price cut, while reimbursement levels have also dropped. Industry association, Apifarma, has warned that so many cuts in such a short time scale could have a devastating impact on the industry - it forecasts that firms will post combined losses of between EUR150-170mn as a result, and that as many as 1,500 jobs will be put at risk.

The government has also decided to address healthcare costs in other areas. In October 2010, a bill was passed which proposes doctors be obliged to prescribe by active ingredient, rather than by brand names, in an attempt to lower expenditure. While doctors will be permitted to prescribe medicines by brand name if no generic alternative exists, or if they can justify their decision, the move has generated a negative reaction from the industry, generic manufactuers and even doctors. In order to become law, the decree has to be approved by Portugal's president, and if granted, it could come into force as soon as January 2011.

One of the potential beneficiaries of cost cutting are the manufacturers of OTCs, with national press indicating that the government is considering expanding the list of drugs available for self-medication. OTCs have no price restrictions because margins and prices are kept low in order to remain competitive. Generic drugs have also been boosted by a new informative campaign aired in Q410, including television advertisements and radio broadcasts, to encourage patients and doctors to consider the cost of medicines.

Given the downward pressure on prices, and the likelihood that this will continue throughout 2011 and beyond, BMI forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.79% between 2009 and 2014 in local currency terms.

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Report Table of Contents:

Executive Summary
SWOT Analysis
- Portugal Pharmaceuticals And Healthcare Industry SWOT
- Portugal Political SWOT
- Portugal Economic SWOT
Pharmaceutical Business Environment Ratings
- Table: Western Europe Pharmaceutical Business Environment Ratings For Q111
- Rewards
- Risks
Portugal - Market Summary
Regulatory Regime
- Table: Number Of Marketing Authorisations Issued In Portugal
- Table: Number Of Medicines With Marketing Authorisation
- Parallel Imports
- Recent EU Regulatory Developments
- Pricing Regime
- Generic Drugs
- Reimbursement Regime
- Pharmacoeconomics
Industry Trends And Developments
- Epidemiology
- Healthcare System
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- Recent Company Developments
- Wholesale Sector
- Pharmacy Sector
- Clinical Research
- Medical Devices
Industry Forecast Scenario
- Overall Market Forecasts
- Table: Pharmaceutical Sales Indicators 2006-2014
- Key Growth Factors - Industry
- Table: Health Expenditure Indicators 2006-2014
- Table: Government Health Expenditure Indicators 2006 - 2014
- Table: Private Health Expenditure Indicators 2006 - 2014
- Macroeconomic Outlook
- Table: Portugal - GDP By Expenditure
- Prescription Drug Market Forecast
- Table: Prescription Drug Sales Indicators 2006-2014
- Patented Drug Market Forecast
- Table: Patented Drug Sales Indicators 2006 - 2014
- Generic Drug Market Forecast
- Table: Top 10 Generic Drugs By Value In 2008
- Table: Generic Drug Sales Indicators 2006-2014
- OTC Medicine Market Forecast
- Table: Top Ten Non-Prescription Drugs Sold Outside Pharmacies By Volume, January-October 2008
- Table: OTC Medicine Sales Indicators 2006- 2014
- Pharmaceutical Trade Forecast
- Table: Pharmaceutical Imports & Exports Indicators 2006-2014
- Other Healthcare Data Forecasts
- Key Risks To BMI's Forecasts
Competitive Landscape
- Table: Number Of Pharmaceutical Companies, Wholesalers, Pharmacies, Pharmacy Extensions And Drug Stores In Portugal
Company Profiles
- Hovione
- Bial
- Medinfar
- How We Generate Our Pharmaceutical Industry Forecasts
- Pharmaceuticals Business Environment Ratings
- Risk/Reward Ratings Methodology
- Ratings Overview
- Table: Pharmaceutical Business Environment Indicators
- Weighting
- Table: Weighting Of Components
- Sources

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Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.