Generics gain momentum with crisis and already lead the growth of the sector

At a time of economic difficulty in the country, generic drugs lead to the growth of the pharmaceutical sector. In the first quarter, segment recorded a high of 9.28% in sales, reaching 356.7 million units. "At Abradilan [Brazilian Association of Pharmaceutical products Distribution and logistics], generics are very representative. In the distribution of product segments in March, for example, they accounted for 43.4% of the sales of the associates. In units, the percentage is slightly higher, 44.6%, "points out the new president of the entity, Vinicius Andrade. The leader of Abradilan, an association that brings together 136 companies distributing medicines and toiletries and cosmetics, says that the first quarter was the growth of the pharmaceutical market, despite the difficulties of the economy. "Growth was a little lower than in recent years, but still positive." For the entity, with the economic crisis and the lowest budget, many families opted for medicines with more affordable values and therefore, the generics were prominent in sales. "The demand has been strong, especially among generics, because the Brazilian is increasingly concerned about health and has easier access to medications," Andrade said. He believes that, throughout the year, the country's economy will present a recovery. "With the resumption of economic growth, the pharmaceutical market will also reap the positive consequences of this acceleration, growing more and, consequently, increasing investments and generating more jobs." Andrade also assesses that the sector's tax discussion can advance. "We initially believe in a simplification of federal taxes. This will be an important first step in the debureaucratization of the Brazilian system, so that companies feel greater security in investing in the country. " Bets The Medley, company of the Sanofi group, highlights that nowadays, the generic segment represents more than 33% of the total market of the pharmaceutical industry. "Last year we did eight generic launches. There are nine more products in 2019 and 15 in 2020 ", says the director of Medley, Joana Adissi. These medications are directed to therapeutic areas such as hypertension, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and depression. "In recent years, Medley comes with a very significant acceleration. We had a 12% increase in turnover and 25% in volume in 2018. We were a pillar of Sanofi's growth, "says Joana. The executive sees a slowdown in the drug market compared to last year, but still with a good prospect of growth. "This sector is always the last to suffer from the crisis, it is a basic necessity. Customers are expecting definitions in the economy, but the expectation is quite positive. " The company's estimate is to grow above the market in 2019. "The sector data is of higher performance at 9% in volume and 14% in value compared to last year. Our expectation is to grow above these numbers, "says Joana. The EMS competitor predicts 11 launches in the area of generics in 2019, including contraceptives, antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory drugs. The company intends to increase its participation by 10% in units commercialized in this market by the end of the year. In a press release, the commercial director of the EMS Generic unit, Aramis Domont, stated that the generic drug is "an excellent alternative to expanding access to health, allowing patients to continue their treatments Economically, effectively and safely. " EMS also intends to make available more than 240 million units (drug boxes) in the category in 2019, practically 30 million above the total volume reached in the previous year.