Pharmaceutics distributors sell more than US$ 3.1 bi
DCI
The Brazilian distributors of pharmacies and drugstores have been registering good results regardless of the financial crisis, since from January to May this year the total sales in wholesale exceeded R$ 6 billion (US$ 3.1 billion), figures similar to those showed in the same period of 2008. The Brazilian Wholesale Pharmaceutical Association (Abafarma) affirms more than 432 million units of medicines were sold by the sector, 15% of which regards only generic units, responsible for a great part of the sales, R$ 454 million (US$ 235.2 million).
For Luiz Fernando Buainain, president of the Abafarma, the wholesale should celebrate the growth, because it has faced difficulties in view of the time limits given by the industry, and other segments have presented falls. "Even with the economic turbulences and the difficulties we permanently face with the low profit margins and the terms of payment frozen by the industry, we were able to achieve favorable figures", explains Buainain.
The entity gathers the 23 main drug and HPC (Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics) distributors, which constitute an average monthly income of R$ 16.7 million (US$ 8.7 million) and are responsible for 80% of the GDP of the sector, catering to 55 pharmacies, hospitals and clinics.