Poland is being seen increasingly as one of the more attractive drug markets in eastern Europe, alongside the Czech Republic and Hungary. The relatively high level of economic stability and general orientation towards the market economy, despite government protectionism, lead German drug analysts to talk of long-term growth opportunities.
There is at present no prospect of ending the government's policy of economies in the reimbursable drugs sector, but the World Bank forecasts annual growth of 9% over the next 10 years because of rising living standards. More optimistic forecasts have also been made.
Market volume based on selling prices is put at 3.8 billion zloty ($1.3 billion) and the state-controlled reimbursable sector accounts for 45% of this. State drug spending has tripled in the past five years, but the state's share of total volume has contracted. Spending on reimbursement in 1996 is forecast at some 1.5 billion zloty ($530.8 million) compared with 1.7 billion zloty last year. Since September, prescription charges per item have risen from 1.2 zloty to 1.5 zloty, and a new 50% "ticket" was introduced. Various forms of co-payment by patients for drug costs have been in force since 1991.
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