Sector that represents approximately 1% of the Italian pharmaceutical market
The Italian market is the third largest in Europe, after France and Germany, with almost 10 million compatriots (9.7 million) who are treated occasionally or regularly with homeopathic medicines. A sector that represents about 1% of the Italian pharmaceutical market, with about 1,000 employees and a pharmacy turnover of 320 million euros a year, based on data on the sector released by Boiron which together with Guna, Cemon, Imo and Loaker Remedia is one of the leading companies in the sector active in Italy. Based on a survey conducted in 2013 by the National Observatory on Women's Health on over 1,000 respondents, over 70% of women had a positive experience with these products, used in most cases to treat flu and colds or to strengthen the immune system.
Furthermore, in Italy there seems to be a considerable thirst for information on homeopathic medicines. According to another survey, recently conducted this time by AstraRicerche, the interviewees declare that they want to know more about the topic of homeopathy: this is stated by 51.7% of those who say they know homeopathic medicines, even without experience of using them. Among these, no less than 43.8% would like the media to communicate more on this issue. Again on the basis of this survey, over 21 million Italians would like therapeutic indications to be included in these medicines, while 68% of those interviewed do not even know that the absence of the latter is linked to a legislative issue and not to the will of the companies .
Margherita Lopes – 01/10/2014 – PharmaKronos
