Adriana Sas
Research expert covering the Polish market
Pharmaceutical industry in Poland - statistics & facts
Drug production and the pharmaceutical industry are among the strategic sectors in Poland. The importance of the pharmaceutical industry was made clear to everyone by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many innovative drugs are being developed in Poland today. Companies active here invest huge resources in research and development. Nearly two-thirds of pharmaceutical companies in Poland were innovative in products or business processes between 2020 and 2022. Innovations have been implemented in 51.1 percent of companies producing basic pharmaceutical substances, drugs, and other pharmaceutical products. The Polish pharmaceutical market has seen steady growth and is the largest market in Central and Eastern Europe and the 5th largest drug market in the European Union (EU) by value. In terms of production, the market ranks only 12th in the EU.
Polish companies produce mainly for the domestic market. A constant negative exchange balance characterizes foreign trade in pharmaceutical products. Most of Poland's pharmaceutical exports and imports went to the German market.
In 2022, the total turnover of OTC drugs in pharmacies was about 10.4 billion zloty, in stationary non-pharmacy outlets - 0.5 billion zloty, and for online pharmacies, it amounted to 0.51 billion. The value of the OTC market - over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements - is higher than that of the prescription drug market. In 2023, OTC sales accounted for 44 percent of all pharmacy market sales, while prescription drug sales accounted for 29 percent of that market.
The OTC drug market represents one of the most important product categories in the OTC market. The other categories are dietary supplements and dermocosmetics. Among them are painkillers, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and tonics. Still, stationary pharmacies sell the most OTC drugs; for stores, it is a small fraction of sales, but the two channels compete.
Poland's pharmaceutical market is growing
The Polish pharmaceutical industry is mostly manufacturers of so-called generic drugs. In contrast, relatively few new original solutions (so-called reference drugs) are being developed. The total value of the pharmaceutical market exceeded 50 billion zloty in 2023, and the value of sold production was more than 15.7 billion zloty in 2022. Twenty-six thousand people in 487 companies worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing in 2021. Their revenues amounted to more than 23.2 billion zloty in 2022. The market leaders are Neuca, Adamed, and Polpharma, among others.Polish companies produce mainly for the domestic market. A constant negative exchange balance characterizes foreign trade in pharmaceutical products. Most of Poland's pharmaceutical exports and imports went to the German market.
OTC products are the largest sales category in the pharmacy market
Over the past five years, the number of general pharmacies operating in Poland has decreased by more than 13 percent, employing more than 30,000 pharmacists. Pharmacies compete through prices for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and supplements. The situation is different for prescription drugs, which are uniformly priced at each point according to the stipulated reimbursement.In 2022, the total turnover of OTC drugs in pharmacies was about 10.4 billion zloty, in stationary non-pharmacy outlets - 0.5 billion zloty, and for online pharmacies, it amounted to 0.51 billion. The value of the OTC market - over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements - is higher than that of the prescription drug market. In 2023, OTC sales accounted for 44 percent of all pharmacy market sales, while prescription drug sales accounted for 29 percent of that market.
The OTC drug market represents one of the most important product categories in the OTC market. The other categories are dietary supplements and dermocosmetics. Among them are painkillers, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and tonics. Still, stationary pharmacies sell the most OTC drugs; for stores, it is a small fraction of sales, but the two channels compete.
