Drug sales in Romania totaled EUR 637 million, at distribution prices, in the second quarter of the year, down 4.1% year-on-year, according to pharmaceutical market research company Cegedim.

Prescription drugs reached sales of EUR 432 million, down by 10.4%, whereas the over-the-counter drugs, which are sold without a prescription, saw a 14.5% increase in sales, to EUR 119 million. The drugs sold in hospitals totaled EUR 83 million, up by 10.5% compared to the second quarter of 2014.

“The drop in the second quarter was due to the gap caused by the price reduction, with all the shortcomings related to patients, pharmacies, and distributors,” said Cegedim general director Petru Craciun, cited by local Mediafax.

The local drug market is expected to go down by 2.8% this year, according to Cegedim estimations.

editor@romania-insider.com