Depending on your viewpoint, generic drugs represent either the future of the global pharmaceutical industry or an irritating drain on the revenues of R&D based companies. The sector continues to grow in importance, fuelled by the twin pressures of therapeutically significant products coming off patent and health provider demands for lower prices. Analysts in industry and commerce must have a clear understanding of the threats and opportunities in key markets worldwide.

Generics market reports from Espicom Business Intelligence are produced by a multi-lingual editorial team with over 25 years pharmaceutical market experience. And when that experience is combined with one of the best healthcare market databases around, and informed by direct access to over 1200 companies and organisations worldwide, you have unbeatable, reliable, qualified and enriched market analysis. The USA is the world's largest pharmaceutical market, with total prescription drug sales exceeding US$200 billion. Generics have become widely used since the passing of the Hatch Waxman legislation in 1984. They now account for around 50% of the market by volume. By value, however, generics only account for 8-10%. Their low price and the rapid pace of branded drug expenditure growth accounts for this.

The USA is home to some of the world's largest generic manufacturers. Some of these, such as Mylan or IVAX, now have annual sales exceeding US$1 billion. The major overseas players, such as Sandoz and Teva, have substantial US operations. In July 2005, Teva announced plans to acquire IVAX, creating the world's largest generic company. Earlier in the year, Sandoz acquired Eon Labs, a medium sized US manufacturer.