Turkey - Will generics claim a larger share of the Turkish pharmaceutical market in the future?

Generics represent a third of the Turkish market but there is room for expansion.

Turkey has a strong generics industry; according to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Turkey, almost three quarters of locally produced pharmaceuticals were generics in 2008. Generics account for around a third of the market in value terms and over 50% in volume terms; however, physicians are not actively encouraged to prescribe generic drugs and there are no incentives for pharmacists to dispense them, so there is potential for this to increase.

The economy contracted by 5.6% in 2009, but is expected to grow by 3.0% in 2010. As Turkey recovers from the economic downturn, generics may become a more popular alternative to expensive branded pharmaceuticals. This will be helped by the fact that generic substitution is legal in Turkey; the pharmacist is obliged to inform the patient of the substitution, but this may be declined. The ageing population and associated increase in health spending may also force the government to look into the possibility of using generics to cut costs.

Further reading - A detailed review of the Turkish pharmaceutical market is available from Espicom: The Pharmaceutical Market: Turkey (published January 2010)