Pharmaceuticals, +44% exports in 2022 with a balance of 6.7 billion euros
breakinglatest.news business – December 28, 2022
The pharmaceutical industry will close the year with an all-time export record: 2022 will confirm the
growth of more than 44% in the value of exports in the first ten months, with a positive foreign balance of 6.7 billion euro. Double-digit growth also for production which this year will exceed the threshold of +10%, in line with the Istat figure for the first ten months of the year (+10.7%).
Starting from these data, from the orders and from the considerations of the companies, the president of Farmindustria, Marcello Cattani, makes positive forecasts for the first months of next year. However, he does not allow himself to be easily enthusiastic and lists the many "buts", above all on the regulatory and price fronts which risk undermining the competitiveness of the sector and the attractiveness of our country for foreign investors, at a time when countries they are strengthening drug spending and there are emerging areas, such as the Arabian Peninsula which, thanks to their resources and regulatory flexibility, will attract companies and the best talents over the next ten years.
The impact of costs on production
«In December 2022 the price of gas is three times higher than the average of 2021 and during the year there have been peaks of increases of 600%. Added to this is the fact that for active ingredients our country depends for 75% from the far east, from China and India in particular.
A framework that does not facilitate procurement, especially at this stage. The increase in the costs of all the factors of production and the difficulties in supplying generate significant difficulties in producing for the 20% of the volumes». In recent weeks we have seen a shortage of drugs such as anti-inflammatories, antipyretics, antihypertensives, diuretics, antibiotics for which there has been a sharp increase in demand due to the high levels of influenza in circulation and Covid.
The regulatory front to be simplified
In Italy there has always been an issue of rules on which for Farmindustria it is necessary to act with a new perspective, starting from the assumption that "pharmaceuticals are an investment due to the direct and indirect benefits they can
generate – says Cattani -. This is why there cannot be continuous cuts with price revisions and therapeutic manuals because in this way the productive sustainability of companies is undermined in a sector where there is 
a very strong global competition that causes the demand for active ingredients to be very high. Furthermore, the fact that we pay for the active ingredients in dollars should not be overlooked with a detrimental effect of the exchange rate which adds to the inflation».
A theme, that of active ingredients, which adds to that of drug packaging, i.e. paper, plastic and aluminum and waste packaging. «The proposed legislation that would like to lead from recycling to reuse is crazy. Our associates are making investments in machinery and it needs to be clear which ones are needed.
For reuse or recycling? We ask to maintain the current legislation, the main guideline must be that of recycling where we have leading companies in the production of packaging machinery and technologies – continues Cattani -. These are complex issues that require a high and strategic vision of the Government to protect the interests of the country to continue to guarantee health and development. After years of substantial stagnation, important reforms are needed that put health in a strategic position, raising the level of investments in this sector".
Italy is the pharmaceutical factory of Europe
Italy is the leading drug producer in Europe with a production value of 34.5 billion euros in 2021. Farmindustria expects a trend that can confirm the production growth trend of 2022, i.e. more than 10%.
We are therefore talking about a value of 37 billion euros. The growth is quite widespread at all 
territories with a greater presence of pharmaceuticals, with higher-than-average peaks in many provinces, such as Ascoli Piceno, Parma, Latina, Siena, Monza, L'Aquila, Rieti, Ancona, Brindisi and Pisa. The regions where the greatest ferment is recorded are the Marches, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Lombardy, Abruzzo, Puglia, Tuscany.
The skills
Focusing on the value of the pharmaceutical sector, skills are certainly to be considered a central factor that «we want to highlight to the Government – explains Cattani -. Ours is a leading sector both in innovation and in production which is carried out with only 67 thousand people, of which 90% are university graduates and diplomas and a gender balance with women at 43% of the total.
Orders and production will also drive the positive trend in employment which grew by 8.6% in 5 years (2016-2021). Also for this reason, the Government must pay attention to the sector, due to its strategic positioning".
Related news: Farm industry. Pharmaceutical Indicators July 2022
ISTAT. Industrial production of pharmaceuticals in October +7.3%
