German drug import companies are forecasting high growth this year, though an arbitration committee in the capital, Bonn, has still to decide whether pharmacies are obliged to supply re-imports of German drugs which are 10%-35% cheaper in neighboring countries.
Andreas Mohringer, executive director of one of Germany's leading importers Eurim Pharma, who also runs a pharmacy business in the Ruhr, says there are opportunities in re-imports for pharmacies and patients, as well as import companies, and an opportunity to reduce German drug costs. Mr Mohringer has just returned from a visit to the UK where, he said, he could buy a German-made cough medicine more cheaply than he has to pay to stock it in his pharmacy.
Eurim reported sales of 54 million Deutschemarks ($36.3 million) in 1995, selling 600 products and rapid diagnostic tests, and expects 1996 sales to rise to 60 million marks. 90% of the product range consists of re-imported items which are "Germanized" at the company's base, with new patient package inserts and logos, and product retesting.
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