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. Slovenia is a small but relatively wealthy country, located in central Southern Europe. A part of Yugoslavia prior to 1991, Slovenia escaped from the collapse of that country virtually untouched by violence and ethnic warfare. In other respects, the country more closely resembles its Western neighbours rather than other former Communist states; demographic indicators are more in line with Western than Eastern Europe and income levels are comparable with those found in Southern parts of the European Union. The Slovenian pharmaceutical market is thus relatively advanced.
The country has a sizeable domestic industry and is home to the two largest generics companies in Europe, Krka and Lek. Slovenian pharmaceutical regulations are aligned with EU legislation, following EU entry in May 2004 and are enforced by the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices, of the MoH. Patent laws have come under fire in recent years, but the introduction of the 8+2+1 formula in April 2006 helped to prevent Slovenia being placed on the US 301 Watch List for 2007.

New pricing regulations came into effect in January 2007, which should save US$32 million of the US$690 million currently spent on prescription drugs at hospitals each year. Research companies have criticised the new legislation as the price of a patented drug is now matched to the lowest price in one of the reference countries, rather than the average. Generic prices must not exceed 85% of the average of a similar product.