Espicom's in-depth pharmaceutical market reports are ideal for executives wanting to understand the key drivers in pharmaceutical markets and have access to a wealth of statistical data. Each report opens with an outlook section that provides analysis of the market, 5-year market forecasts, national data projections, market outlook and key developments such as regulation, pricing/reimbursement, intellectual property, health facilities and government policy. The report also provides extensive background information, population trends, health status, health expenditure, organisation & administration, hospital services, medical personnel, healthcare development, market access information, trade data for raw materials and finished products and essential industry contacts. Included with the report are 3 free quarterly updated outlook reports, enabling you to keep up to date with market developments for a year. The Italian pharmaceutical market ranks among the top four in the EU-15. In size, it is comparable to the UK and ranks behind Germany and France. In 2006, pharmacy sales accounted for 82.3% of the market, the remaining 17.7% being hospital sales. Public sales represented 69.8% of the pharmacy sector in 2006, the remaining 30.2% being private sales. Cardiovascular drugs represented 22.5% of the pharmaceutical market.
In January 2006, reimbursed products, except haemoderivatives, recombinant DNA and vaccines, had their prices reduced by 4.4% at retail prices, including VAT and a 0.6% discount at manufacturers' prices. From mid July 2006, drug price reductions at retail prices passed from 4.4% to 5.0%, including VAT. Further drug price reductions of 5.0% were introduced in September 2006 and enforced in October 2006. Instead of drug price reductions of 5.0%, the 2007 Finance Law allows pharmaceutical producers to pay back the value of their sales to the regions.
Traditionally, the distribution sector has been fragmented but is currently being consolidated, with 245 wholesalers registered in 2005. There were 17,524 pharmacies in Italy in 2006. The Senate has to ratify or reject a proposal introduced by the Chamber of Deputies in May 2007 which aims to allow the sale of non-reimbursable prescription drugs outside pharmacies. Under the Bersani Decree, non-prescription (SOP) & over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals have been sold outside pharmacies since August 2006, providing that the dispenser is a qualified pharmacist.
In 2006, Italy registered 243 producers of finished medicaments, employing 74,726 people. Pharmaceutical production increased by 3.1% in 2006, reaching 22.2 billion euros (US$27.9 billion). Production of finished medicaments accounted for 86.5% of the total, the remainder being raw materials. Leading domestic companies include Angelini, Chiesi, Menarini, Recordati, Rottapharm, Sigma-Tau and Zambon. In June 2007, Rottapharm announced the acquisition of the German pharmaceutical producer Madaus Pharma; the combined group expects to consolidate sales of 1.0 billion euros (US$1.4 billion) in the next five years.