Polish Drug Market Growth Remains Sluggish

According to local sources, Poland's drug market sales increased by only 2.9% in 2004, reaching PLN17.5bn (US$5.56bn) in the year. The performance contrasts unfavourably with 2003, when the market expanded by 5.6%. However, the OTC sector, which accounts for roughly 29% of Poland's drug sales, continued its impressive expansion of recent years, growing 7.4% to PLN5.05bn (US$1.6bn).

2004's weak growth has been attributed to increased competition in the sector, lower drug consumption and changes to the country's reimbursement list. The Polish government introduced a new list in December 2004, and authorities have now pledged to amend it more frequently. The generics-dominated framework accounted for 20% of the country's overall healthcare budget of PLN30bn (US$9.4bn) in 2004.