Danish Pharma Production Data For 1995

Danish drug production in 1995 was valued at 14.3 billion kroner ($2.50 billion), 90% of which was exported at a value of 12.9 billion kroner ($2.25 billion), up 19.4% on 1994, reports MEFA, the association of the Danish pharmaceutical industry.

This large rise is not reflected in MEFA member company earnings, which totaled 3.54 billion kroner, up 7% on 1994. This is partly due to substantial investments in export markets to counter growing competitiveness, and also to an agreement between the Ministry of Health, MEFA and MEDIF, the pharmaceutical industries association, under which the industry cut the prices of subsidized drugs by 5% and of all other drugs by 2% from April 1995, creating a loss for the industry of 375 million kroner. Nevertheless, the Danish national health service drugs bill grew 5% last year, due to the increased use of more efficient but expensive drugs.

Insulin remained the largest group of exported specialties, at nearly 40% of the total, followed by hormones at nearly 20%. Combined exports of hormones and antidepressants pushed insulin's share of the total down slightly. The largest export market in 1995 remained Japan, at 11.5%. The structure of the western European markets changed in January 1995, when Sweden, Finland and Austria joined the European Union, which now accounts for over 60% of all Danish exports.