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 Mexican pharmaceutical market is the leading Latin American market, and the tenth largest worldwide. International and domestic producers compete in the Mexican market, and continue to increase exports towards Europe and the USA. Geographically, Mexico can serve the needs of well established pharmaceutical markets such as the USA and Canada, and also the emerging Latin American pharmaceutical markets.

Mexico claims to be one of the countries with the highest drug prices in the world. To readdress this situation, Calderón's government signed an agreement with the industry in February 2007 to bring drug prices down, particularly in the public sector. Monopolistic practices exercised by leading research-based producers and distributors will be targeted too. For the trade organisations CANIFARMA and AMIIF, this move responds to political rather than economic needs.

Drug distribution is dominated by Grupo Casa Saba and NADRO. As the market is becoming less competitive, they are demanding higher wholesale margins. The retail pharmacy sector, traditionally highly fragmented, is being consolidated by large pharmacy chains, led by Farmacias Guadalajara and Farmacias Benavides, and supermarkets. Direct competition is expected in the medium term. The chain Farmacias Similares is increasing its market share by selling generics and copycats.

With the approval of the reform of Article 376 of the General Health Law in February 2005, product registrations are now only granted for a five-year period and bioequivalence standards are compulsory for registration. In 2010, it is expected that the Mexican market will only have patented and bioequivalent generic medicines in the market. Nevertheless, the industry is still waiting for the new registration renewals requirements, not published yet in 2007.

For a long time, drug counterfeiting has been a major problem in Mexico. Around 10% of the private sector is counterfeit, with a high incidence in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and border cities such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez and Nuevo Laredo. Often, well-known organisations, such as the Social Insurance Institute of State Employees (ISSSTE), have to go public to defend the quality of their drug supplies.