Pharmaceutical market in Poland

The pharmaceutical market in Poland is one of the most strategic industries in the country. It is considered one of the most innovative. In 53.9% of companies manufacturing basic pharmaceutical substances, drugs and other pharmaceutical products, innovations were implemented, translating into 3.1% of all national expenditure on innovation.

Below, we present more data and information from market research and competitive analysis conducted for the pharmaceutical market in Poland.

MARKET SIZE OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN POLAND

According to the Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers, the number of generally accessible pharmacies operating in Poland has decreased by over 10%, i.e., by 1,400 places over the last four years. Individual pharmacies account for 80% of closed pharmacies. In December 2021, the total number of operating pharmacies was 11,947. This decrease is related to the 2017 amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law – a new pharmacy may only be run by a pharmacist within selected types of partnerships.

MARKET VALUE OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN POLAND

The pharmaceutical market in Poland has been growing steadily year by year. It is the largest market in Central Europe and the sixth largest in the European Union. The Polish pharmaceutical industry is based mainly on producers of generic and bio-substitutes. The pharmaceutical market in Poland produces a gross domestic product worth EUR 7.3 billion (approx. PLN 32 billion), which constitutes 1.33% of Polish GDP. In 2021, the value of the pharmaceutical distribution of drugs and para pharmaceuticals to patients amounted to PLN 56 billion in gross prices, which means an increase of 8% annually.

In 2021, the import of pharmaceutical products (including medicines, human blood, cotton wool, bandages, and organs) amounted to USD 335 million, i.e., 17% more than a year earlier, giving Poland 18th place globally. Exports in this period amounted to over USD 317 million, placing Poland in 22nd place globally.

LEADERS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET IN POLAND

Due to the minimal influence of international concerns, the pharmaceutical market in Poland is considered a phenomenon on a European scale. This market is highly concentrated – the ten largest entities account for almost 90% of the entire pharmaceutical distribution market turnover. Of these, the three largest companies – Neuca, Pelion and Farmacol – account for 70% of the value of pharmaceutical sales to pharmacies.

Neuca has been the market leader for the last two years. The Neuca Group was founded in 1990 under the name TORFARM. For over 30 years, it has been operating in the fields of health care, answering the needs of pharmacists, producers and patients. The total market share of the Neuca Group in the period from January to March 2022 remained at the level exceeding 31%.

PANDEMIC AND THE PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET IN POLAND

In 2020, for the first time since 2013, the growth dynamics of the Polish pharmaceutical market was lower than 2%. The main reason for this was the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in fewer infections, reduced visits to doctors, limited travel, reduced injuries, and an overall reduction in spending due to the economic crisis.

Over the past two years, the polish pharmaceutical market changes have accelerated. The development of sales in e-pharmacies has increased in recent years. From January to September 2021, sales in e-pharmacies ranged from -12% to + 23%. The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to a year-on-year increase in the value of heart rate monitors (+ 2,384%) and thermometers (+ 312%).

INDUSTRY PAGES

MGR.FARM – portal for pharmacists

Świat Przemysłu Farmaceutycznego (The World of the Pharmaceutical Industry)

Rynek Aptek (Pharmacy Market)

Polskie Towarzystwo Farmaceutyczne (Polish Pharmaceutical Society)

Aptekarski (Pharmaceutical)

Sources:

Liczba aptek w Polsce wykazuje tendencję spadkową (The number of pharmacies in Poland shows a downward trend), PMR, www.healthcaremarketexperts.com.

Działalność innowacyjna przedsiębiorstw w latach 2018-2020 (Innovative activity of enterprises in 2018-2020), Statistics Poland, www.stat.gov.pl.

Pandemia nie hamuje spadku liczby aptek (The pandemic does not stop the decline in the number of pharmacies), PEX PharmaSequence, www.pexps.pl.

NEUCA w I kwartale 2022 roku z ponad 61 mln zł skonsolidowanego zysku netto oraz wysokim poziomem zaufania klientów (NEUCA in the first quarter of 2022 with over PLN 61 million of consolidated net profit and a high level of customer confidence), Strefa Inwestorów, www.strefainwestorow.pl.

Jak wygląda rynek hurtowy leków w Polsce? Jego struktura może nie być korzystna dla pacjentów (What is the wholesale drug market in Poland like? Its structure may not be beneficial for patients), Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com.pl.

Nowoczesne leki to lata badań i ogromne koszty. Jak tworzą je polskie firmy farmaceutyczne? (Modern drugs take years of research and huge costs. How are Polish pharmaceutical companies created?), Paweł Bednarz, Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com.pl.

Struktura i dynamika rynku farmaceutycznego, zachowań lekarzy i pacjentów oraz dystrybucji leków w roku 2020 w Polsce – kluczowe fakty (The structure and dynamics of the pharmaceutical market, the behavior of doctors and patients and the distribution of drugs in 2020 in Poland – key facts), IQVIA, www.iqvia.com.

Wpływ pandemii na rynek farmaceutyczny w perspektywie 2 lat (Impact of the pandemic on the pharmaceutical market in the next 2 years), Michał Pilkiewicz, IQVIA, www.nia.org.pl.

Wartość rynku sprzedaży aptecznej wzrośnie do 54 mld zł w 2027 (The value of the pharmacy sales market will increase to PLN 54 billion in 2027), Bartłomiej Supernak, Inwestycje.pl, www.inwestycje.pl.

PMR: wartość dystrybucji farmaceutycznej w Polsce w 2021 r. wyniosła 56 mld zł (PMR: the value of pharmaceutical distribution in Poland in 2021 amounted to PLN 56 billion), PMR, www.pmrmarketexperts.com.

This text is not a complete market analysis and competitive analysis that we conduct for our clients.
This publication contains only selected market information, which we can deepen and extend on an individual request.

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