Parallel trade "does not save Sweden money"

Parallel-imported pharmaceuticals cannot be expected to lead to costsavings, even though the prices for such products are set at least 10% below that of the original imported product, according to the findings of a study conducted by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics, and reported by LIF, the Swedish association of the pharmaceutical industry.

The existence of parallel trade is, rather, an indication that a common pharmaceutical market within the European Union and European Economic Area is not functioning optimally, it says.

The report does acknowledge that there are a few parallel imports which can produce significant reductions in pharmaceutical costs, but says decisions which focus solely on using the lowest-priced products will not lead to an optimal use of resources. While packaging, information, extra information initiatives, security of supply, added costs for storage and the risk of poorer sensitivity are all additional important criteria to be considered when making a decision, these costs are poorly understood at present, it notes.