Pharmaceutical market of analgesic medicines in Romania

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmaceutical market of analgesic medicines in Romania during 2011 - 2015. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted on sales data provided by IQVIA (formerly IMS Health). Data corresponded to the volume of analgesic sales in hospital and retail pharmacies, split up in units and value (EUR), in prescription only (POM) and over-the-counter (OTC) medication and by region. Data was estimated to cover 95% of the Romanian market. From 2011 to 2015, the analgesic pharmaceutical market increased by 18.7% in value and by 6.1% in units. It was mainly assured by the retail distribution channel (95%), both for OTC and POM. The highest sales (6.3 units/capita, 12.3 EUR/capita) were found for the capital, Bucharest, while the lowest for counties of the North-East region of Romania (3.5 units/capita, 6.0 EUR/capita). In the context of an increasing analgesic market, programs that promote rational use of these medicines should be a priority at present for the Romanian healthcare system.