Swiss drug exports up 4.9% in 1st qtr

SGCI Chemie Pharma, Switzerland's research-based drugmakers' association which includes foreign firms, has released data for the first quarter  concerning imports and exports of pharmaceutical and other chemical  industry products. The country experienced a 12.6% drop from 52.58  billion Swiss francs ($44.89 billion) to 45.95 billion francs for all  trade with the rest of the world for the first three months of 2009  versus the like period of 2009. However, pharmaceuticals, vitamins and  diagnostic products - which are categorized together by the Swiss  Customs General Directorate (DGD) - outperformed the rest of the economy  with a 4.9% rise in exports from 13.78 billion francs to 14.45 billion  francs. The medicines sector was the only element of the finished  chemical products industries to expand, the data revealed.

Swiss imports also fell globally 10.5% from 48.73 billion francs to  43.60 billion francs in the first quarters of 2008 and 2009,  respectively. The pharmaceuticals, vitamins and diagnostics contribution  was virtually flat with a less than 7.9 million francs increase (0.1%)  from 5.62 billion francs to 5.63 billion francs in the like period.

The European Union is by far Switzerland's biggest trading partner, with  well over 60% of all goods traded. However, the combined pharmaceutical  exports to EU member states declined slightly 0.1% from 8.77 billion  francs to 8.76 billion francs, while imports increased 1.7% from 4.65  billion francs to 4.73 billion francs.