THE GLOBAL PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR: NUMBERS AND DYNAMICS

Abstract

Researchers from different scientific fields have dedicated efforts to investigate various aspects of the pharmaceutical industry. Aiming to contribute to this debate and provide valuable material for discussion, this research focused on collecting, analyzing, and presenting data and information related to the global pharmaceutical sector. The sector's annual revenue has almost quadrupled over the last two decades, reaching $1.48 trillion in 2022. The 20 largest companies have a combined market value of $3.5 trillion, assets worth $1.86 trillion, and generated revenue of $820 billion, resulting in profits of $181.6 billion. While most leading companies are concentrated in the USA and Europe due to their oligopolistic nature, a group of industries in "pharmerging countries", especially in Asia, has been gaining strength. Pharmaceutical consumption, although still highly concentrated in developed countries, has also been expanding in emerging countries. This trend is driven by nations such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), as well as Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey (MIST). Together, these nine countries account for 48% of the world's population and contribute 31% to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).